BALD HEADED MEN
by Donna McIntosh
Summary: Alex Krycek asks Walter Skinner to help him find his father.


Title: BALD HEADED MEN

Author: Donna McIntosh

Email: 

Fandom: X-Files

Pairing: Krycek/Skinner

Genre: Slash

Warning: Sex and violence

Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. I make no money off them.

Summary: Krycek asks Skinner to help find his father.

Beta: My undying thanks to Greentea for all her help. She undertook a massive job in betaing my story and I appreciate it more than I can say.

BALD HEADED MEN

Alex Krycek pulled back his fist and, with one last blow to the jaw, the bald headed man sank to the ground. A kick to the stomach of the unconscious man and he stepped over the body and walked out of the alley. "Shit! You'd think that by now they would know better than to go into an alley with me. God, I hate bald headed men!"

He flexed the sore fingers on his flesh and blood hand and massaged it with his plastic one. Everyone knew his little bald-headed fetish. He got them alone, gave them the best blow job they ever had; then did his best to beat their heads in. He hated bald headed men and made no bones about it. They all knew about it; people talk. Some of them said that the blow-job was so good it was worth the beating. Some, the most pathetic, even came back for repeat performances. He thought they were all crazy stupid sons of bitches. He hated bald headed men! He hated them all because they weren't the one bald headed man he wanted.

He walked slowly back to his car; his footsteps the only noise in the quiet moonlit night. He sat and rested his forehead against the steering wheel. "So now what do I do?" His voice echoed in the empty car. He started the engine and drove around a little. He could find another bar, probably another cock to suck; but it was all so useless. It didn't satisfy him; it only made him madder at the world and one bald-headed man in particular he knew he could never have.

******

Skinner awoke with a splitting headache. In fact, every thing he owned ached. Once he was fully awake he realized he was in big trouble. His wrists were tied together and secured to the head of a bed; his ankles also together and secured to the foot of the bed. The panic didn't hit until he realized he was totally naked.

He struggled valiantly against his bonds but it was useless. The piece of tape across his mouth didn't help his panic any. He tried to loosen it against his shoulder but he got nowhere.

He remembered then, heading out to his car in the underground parking garage of his condo. He had just reached for his keys when they had come at him from behind. He'd heard a slight noise, then he was grabbed and a cloth pressed over his mouth and nose. Chloroform! Some of the odor remained in his nose and his anger was now even with his panic.

This had been a professional grab. No amateur work here. But who? Who was stupid enough or bold enough to grab him right out of his own parking garage and why?

His analytical mind tried to assess the situation. He listened carefully but heard nothing. No voices, no sounds of anyone around. He struggled again with his wrists until the pain became too much. He was gasping for breath when he finally stopped to rest.

He heard it then; car doors slamming. Someone was coming! He heard voices coming closer and stopping outside the door. He heard the key in the lock and watched as the knob turned. His mouth was dry and fear boiled up inside him.

The first person through the door was CGB Spender in a wheel chair, looking like death warmed over. Right behind him was Alex Krycek.

"Here is your surprise, Alex. Tell me, what do you think of it?" The old man was grinning out of his lop-sided face, obviously the result of a recent stroke.

Krycek was silent and stood staring open-mouthed at a naked Skinner sprawled out on the bed.

"Aren't you going to say anything? Don't you like your surprise?" The old man leered.

"I thought …" Krycek stammered.

"You thought what? That I had a gold watch for you? A cash bonus? What?" The old man wheeled his chair closer to the bed and glared at Skinner, then back to Krycek.

"You've been working for me now for years, Alex. I wanted to give you a going away present; something you could appreciate."

"Why Skinner?" Krycek finally found his voice.

"Oh come now, Alex. You think I've been blind? I know all about your little bald-headed men fetish. Why else would you argue to keep him alive when it would have been so much more convenient to have him eliminated? He's the last loose end that needs taking care of before I leave and I saved him for you. I thought you'd be pleased. Feel free to take your time. The rent on this place is paid through the end of the week. If you need any help afterwards, please feel free to call on Gary and Craig." He nodded towards his two grinning henchmen who had driven them there. "I told them you might need a little help with disposal." With that said, he wheeled his chair towards the door.

Krycek stared at him unable to find words.

"There's no need to thank me, Alex. I'll be on my way now". And with that, he pressed the button on his chair arm and motored out of the room. A few moments later they heard multiple car door slams and a car drove away leaving them in silence.

Krycek went into the outer room and locked the front door. He returned and locked the bedroom door.

Skinner was gasping in fear; sweat poured from his body, dampening the bed beneath him. What did Krycek go in the other room for? Why did he lock the door? What was he going to do? He wouldn't really kill him; would he?

Krycek cleared his throat and spoke, noticing Skinner's fear. "Relax. I'm not going to hurt you. You have my word." He paced the floor and ran the latest news through his mind. It was all over. Three fourths of the group was dead; and Spender was dying. The aliens had left, deciding Earth was more trouble than it was worth and that left the old man with no more of their treatments which were the only thing keeping him alive. Judging by his debilitated condition, paralysis and reliant on oxygen, he had at best, a few weeks left. All Krycek could think about was that he was free!

He peered out the window to check if the house was being watched and didn't see anything. If he played it just right, he might get out of this alive after all. He turned then and looked at Skinner; trussed up and terrified. It sickened him. He walked over to the bed and sat down beside him.

"It's all over, Skinner. The aliens are gone; the Consortium is gone. It's over!" His words did nothing to calm Skinner and he seemed more worried than ever. It was then that Krycek realized that he had placed his hand in the middle of Skinner's chest while talking.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I would never do that." He reached up and removed the tape from Skinner's mouth.

"Let me go!" Skinner demanded gasping for breath.

"I will." He reached for the ropes that held Skinner's wrists then stopped. "I'm sorry about all this." He stared at Skinner for a moment, then went on, "I'm sorry about everything – even this." He leaned down and laid his head against Skinner's chest; his good arm coming up around Skinner and holding on to him. He held that position for about ten seconds, and then jumped up.

He reached into his boot, pulled out his knife and sliced through Skinner's bonds; wrists first then, ankles. "Here," he said and tossed Skinner a pile of clothing off the dresser. "Get dressed."

With another glance out the window, he opened the bedroom door carefully while he watched and listened. No one was there; they were alone.

Skinner was dressed in less than a minute and sat on the bed tying his shoes. "What are you going to do?" He asked nervously; glad to be free at last and wondering if he was going to have to fight his way out of there. He paid careful attention to which boot Krycek had hidden his knife.

"I didn't see any other vehicles out there. Where's your car?"

"Back at my condo."

"OK. I'll drive you home then." Krycek opened the door and Skinner followed him out into the night.

"I can call someone to pick me up." He offered.

"You could but we're at least thirty miles out of town. It will take time for anyone to get out here. Do you really want to wait around here that long? Gary and Craig could be back here any minute."

Skinner nodded and got into the car beside Krycek and they drove off into the night.

They drove in silence for a while with Skinner alert and carefully watching behind them to see if they were being followed. He was readying himself for whatever might happen. "Is it really all over? The Consortium is no longer in existence?"

Krycek's mind was filled with the prospect of being a free man for the first time since he'd gotten caught up in the old man's schemes years ago.

"Yes; it's true. I wasn't sure myself until a few hours ago when I saw the old man. Without those treatments the aliens were providing, he won't last long."

Skinner didn't relax until they were back in the city in familiar territory. The closer they got to Crystal City the more he believed that Krycek was actually taking him home and not to just another location for whatever reason.

They pulled into the underground parking at Viva Towers and Krycek stopped the car next to the elevator.

"What was all that about back there; just before you released me?" Skinner asked with the car door half opened.

"Nothing," Krycek shook his head, "Just part of an old fantasy of mine."

Skinner stared at him in the darkness, lit only by the night lights from the underground garage. "You fantasize about me?" He asked, in disbelief.

"We all have some kind of stupid dream; something that we know will never come true."

"I would have thought that if you fantasized about me it would be about torturing me; not simply laying your head against my chest."

Krycek swallowed hard. "I'm sorry. I had no right to touch you like that. I apologize."

"I don't understand. What's this all about, Krycek?"

"What's to understand? The old man thought he was giving me a going away present. He apparently had some unresolved business with you and expected me to take care of it for him."

"Yet you didn't?"

"I don't work for him anymore."

"So it's really all over with then?"

"It is."

"What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know. Find a hole somewhere and crawl in, I guess – try and figure what to do with the rest of my life."

"You're still a young man. There are a lot of things you could do." Skinner offered and wondered why he was still sitting there and hadn't bolted towards the elevator and the safety of his condo.

"And with my sterling resume, I'd be a shoe-in in just about any position I applied for."

Skinner had the greatest urge to say 'You made your bed, now you have to lie in it.' but for some reason he didn't. Krycek had just saved his life.

"I'm sure you'll find something."

Krycek sat and stared out the window wondering why Skinner didn't just get out of his car so he could leave.

"I want to thank you for tonight." Skinner said and he was surprised at how sincerely he meant it.

"You're welcome." Krycek answered and looked over at him thinking that this might well be the last time he ever saw him. "I wish …" The thought left him and he turned away.

"What? You wish what?"

"I wish there was some way I could make up for … the past. I know there isn't. It's just another stupid wish."

"You've got a lifetime ahead of you, Alex. You can change your path if you really want to." The use of Krycek's first name surprised him as much as it did Krycek. He hadn't planned it; it just came out. He opened the door and stepped outside into the night air and inhaled deeply as he closed the door.

Krycek put the car in gear and drove off. They wouldn't see each other again for almost two years.

******

"Oh, Mr. Skinner, I just don't know. You'll have to talk with Alex about that. I'm no good with faces but if he's been in here within the last year or so, Alex will know. He's over there on the basket ball court. The guy in cut-offs and white t-shirt. Ask him. He'll know."

"Thank you for your time." Skinner thanked the woman and headed over to the area where about half dozen guys were shooting baskets. He stopped dead in his tracks about half way when this 'Alex' turned and saw him and started walking in his direction. It was Krycek. Alex Krycek!

"You looking for me?" They met a short distance from the court.

"No, I … well yes." Skinner stuttered. "The woman up front, Marianne, said to talk to Alex, I had no idea it was you."

"You must be here looking for someone then?" Krycek asked and grabbed the basket ball as it came sailing over in their direction. One of the men trotted over and got it and said in a low voice, "You in trouble, Alex? That guy's got 'cop' written all over him."

"No, Benny. I'm not in any trouble. Go on with the game. I'll check back with you later."

Skinner waited until the man with the ball was out of hearing range than asked, "A … what are you doing here? I've never known you to be into drugs?"

"C'mon." Krycek nodded and started walking towards the back of the complex. Skinner followed along past the athletic fields and onto an area of pathways and cabins tucked in between the trees.

They stopped at #6, Krycek pulled out his keys, unlocked the door and they went inside.

Skinner glanced around at the small place and noted how spotlessly clean it was. Krycek made his way into the tiny kitchenette and opened the refrigerator. "Can I get you anything? I know you probably don't drink this early; I have juice, Gatorade, ice tea or water?"

"I'll take water, thanks." Skinner said and took a seat at the small table.

Krycek pulled out two waters, handed one to Skinner and took a seat across from him.

"You live here?" Skinner asked after taking a long drink.

"I do. I am not, nor have I ever been on drugs. I started here as a volunteer at the shelter about a month after the last time I saw you. It was supposed to be just for the summer while I sorted out what I wanted to do with my life. But when summer was over they offered me a job. I accepted." He waited for Skinner to say something but Skinner was silent. "I really like it. I've taken a couple courses and it seems I have a knack for counseling."

Skinner finally remembered what he was there for and pulled out the photo. "We're looking for Eddie Macklin. He was supposed to be staying at a shelter somewhere on this side of town." He handed the photo to Krycek.

"How recently?" Krycek asked looking carefully at the photo.

"Within the last month."

"What did he do?"

"He's a pedophile."

"Jesus! There's nothing lower." Krycek shook his head. "He hasn't been in here. I have a good memory for faces and I've never seen this guy before." He handed the photo back and asked. "What are you doing out in the field; you getting tired of riding that desk?"

Skinner grinned and took the photo and slid it back in his jacket pocket. "I do enjoy getting out in the field every once in a while. This case is pretty hot and we're short on agents right now. We've got four out with the flu, one with a GSW, and another with a broken leg in a traffic accident."

"Ouch. How many other ADs are out doing field work?" Krycek grinned at him.

"I wouldn't know."

"I'll bet you're the only AD that would be willing to take on leg work."

"It needs to be done." Skinner said and stood to go. Krycek walked with him out the door.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help. Have you tried the shelter over on 144th and Jackson and the one over on Madison?"

"I struck out at both places. I'd really appreciate it if you give me a call if he comes in."

"Sure thing."

"It looks like you've managed to change your life around; follow a different path." Skinner said as they walked back to his parked car.

"I have." Krycek said.

"Good. Good. I sincerely hope that this is all that it seems." Skinner squinted against the sun as he pulled out his sun glasses and traded them for the ones he had on.

"It is. Or at least it can be. If …"

"If what?"

"I'd really appreciate it if you would not mention my whereabouts to anyone at the Bureau."

"Oh. By that you mean Mulder."

"I like my life now, Skinner. I like it a lot. The last thing I need is for Mulder to show up here."

Skinner shook his head. "I agree. I see no reason to mention your name to anyone."

Krycek breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"Uh huh." Skinner nodded, got in his car and drove back to the Hoover.

******

Two days later …

"Skinner," he answered the call as soon as his secretary said that the shelter was calling.

"Skinner, it's me. Your pedophile just checked in."

"Are you sure it's him?" Skinner asked but at the same time buzzed his secretary and told her, "Get Lawson in here."

"I'm positive." Krycek answered.

"All right. I'm sending over an agent to pick him up. Is he alone, sober?"

"Yeah; he seems to be. He's being given his little orientation talk right now. He said something about being hungry so he'll probably be in the dining room when your man gets here."

"Thanks, I owe you." Skinner hung up and turned his attention to Agent Lawson who just came in on the run.

******

Krycek cursed and turned the water off. He grabbed a towel and headed for the door. A look out the peephole and he wrapped the towel around his waist and opened the door.

Skinner stood there holding out a bottle of Scotch. "I know I should have called first but it was a spur of the moment thing."

"Come on in," Krycek stepped back and held the door open.

"You were in the shower. I'm sorry." Skinner apologized.

"Yeah. Give me a minute. I'll throw some clothes on." He hurried back into the bedroom calling over his shoulder. "Make yourself at home. I'll be right out."

Skinner wandered around the small living room and stopped in front of the book case. He scanned the titles and pulled out the latest Michael Crichton novel and read the blurb on the back.

"That one's great. Have you read it?" Krycek asked as he came back into the room, smelling of soap and shampoo.

"No I haven't. I didn't even know he had a new one out."

"It's been out a couple of months now. I think it's one of his best."

Skinner stared at him for a few moments and lost his train of thought. He replaced the book on the shelf and then remembered the bottle of Scotch and motioned to it sitting on the end table.

"I wanted to thank you for helping us land Macklin."

"Oh; you're welcome. It's always good to get scum like that behind bars. Do you have a good case against him?"

"Uh huh; solid. DNA samples he left on three little girls."

"Can't see how he can wiggle out of that."

"Nothing is 100% but I'd say this one is 99%."

"Good. What do you say we open that bottle?" Krycek offered and went into the kitchenette for a couple of glasses. "Sit," he offered.

"Well, just a short one to celebrate. I've got an early morning tomorrow and I imagine your day starts pretty early too." Skinner took a seat on the couch and reached for the glass.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, it does and I don't usually drink the hard stuff but this is a special occasion and I think a drink is definitely called for." Krycek said and took a seat on the chair opposite the couch.

"I wanted to let you know that I really do appreciate your help on this one. This guy has connections in South America and in another few days, we would have lost him. If there is ever anything I can do for you, just ask."

"Thank you. That means a lot to me." Alex nodded with gratitude.

"I'd better go. It's about a 45 minute drive out to Crystal City from here." Skinner finished his drink, stood and headed for the door.

"Here, wait a minute." Krycek snagged the book from the shelf and handed it to Skinner.

"Take this. I've already read it."

"I can't take that."

"Sure you can. Read it and bring it back if you want to. That will give you an excuse to come back." Krycek grinned at him.

Skinner accepted the book. "All right; but I will bring it back. Count on it." With that his last words, he left.

******

Two weeks later … A Friday evening …

Skinner drove out to the shelter and parked. This time he called first and said he'd like to come over and return Krycek's book. Krycek readily agreed and opened the door as he saw Skinner approach.

"Hey," Krycek greeted him. "How's it going?"

"Fine." Skinner said as he came in and handed Krycek the book. "I chose a little better this time." He held out a six pack of beer.

"Thanks. You didn't have to do that." Krycek accepted the book and the beer, replaced the book on the shelf and took the beer to the refrigerator. He opened two beers and handed one to Skinner. "Sit down."

"Did you like the book?"

"Definitely. I've never been disappointed yet with a Michael Crichton book."

"He is good. I like Grisham too and Forsyth."

"Uh huh. I've enjoyed them both." Skinner took another long drink. "So how are things going around here?"

"Great. We took a state inspection this week and passed with flying colors."

"Good. Good." Skinner sipped his beer. He could tell Krycek had something on his mind but waited for him to get it out.

Krycek sat and twisted his bottle in his hand. "I was wondering … I mean … do you have any spare time, like on the weekends or something? I've got a … project I'm working on and I've hit a blank wall."

Skinner thought of all the lonely miserable weekends wandering around his condo with nothing to do but said, "I'm sure I could free up some time. What sort of project is it?"

"I'm looking for someone. I thought maybe you could help me."

"I'm assuming you've already tried the usual channels?"

"I have; years ago. No luck."

"Years ago? How long has this person been missing?"

"Thirty eight years."

"Thirty eight years? And you just now noticed this person is missing?"

"No." Krycek smiled. "I've always known he was missing. I just never had the time or really the desire, I guess, to try and find him."

"You're going to tell me who this is?"

"That's just it. Why it's so hard to find him. I'm not even sure of his name."

"OK – you lost me here. You're looking for someone and you don't even know his name?"

"It's my father. I want to find out who my father was or is."

"Oh. You mean you don't know who your biological father was?"

"That's right. I know it seems hopeless. I've tried and then given up so many times. I'd really like to find out before … well before my mother passes away."

"Have you asked her?"

"I have but it's like talking to a two-year old. She's not exactly stable, if you know what I mean."

"Were they not married? What does your birth certificate say?" Skinner asked, becoming more and more interested.

"No, my mother was never married. The birth certificate says 'Krycek' but nothing else."

"Hmm. Where is your mother; can we talk with her?"

"Oh yeah, she loves visitors but I've got to warn you; she's not all there. In fact she's been a resident of a state mental institution for the last thirty eight years."

"Oh. I see what you mean. It must be in her records. Have you asked whoever's in charge for the information?"

"Yes, I have and that's where it gets a little sticky. She claims her baby was fathered by an alien."

"Oops." Skinner said and drained the last of his beer. "I can see why you're having problems."

"About ten years ago, when I first started at the Bureau, I did some digging. I found an old neighbor of my mother's and went to visit her. She said my mother used to baby-sit her kids."

"She must have known your mother pretty well then."

"She said she did. She said mother came over to show her the ring when she got engaged to some guy named Stewart. She said she remembered because he reminded her of her favorite actor at the time, Jimmy Stewart. She said mother was totally sound and sane and she never saw a thing wrong with her."

"Then you came along and she ended up being hospitalized. Did you find the records of your birth?"

"I did. I was born there in the mental hospital. A doctor Frank Alexander delivered me."

"Any complications?"

"None. It was a normal delivery."

"Maybe the anesthesia caused the problems. Some people have bad reactions."

"No, something happened before that. It was this alien thing."

"Do you have any details?"

"Just an old newspaper item. It seems she was engaged to this Stewart and he was away on some church mission for a year. While he was gone, she got pregnant. She claims an alien visited her, did something to her mind and the next thing she knew they were having sex and she was pregnant. Of course nobody believed her. Her father wanted her to have an abortion and she refused. He was the one who took her to a psychiatrist and ended up having her committed to the state hospital."

"Did you ever look up this Stewart? Maybe he managed to slip home for a visit during that time."

"As a matter of fact, I did. He said he couldn't have just slipped back as he was in Honduras. I asked him if he'd take a DNA test and he agreed. He's not my father."

"So do you believe it was an alien? Or someone posing as an alien?"

"I don't know what to believe. Stewart said she was perfectly normal in every way and he just assumed she was seeing someone on the side."

"OK. This does sound interesting. I'd like to help if I can."

"You can see why going through the normal channels is useless."

"I do. I think the first thing we need to do is go talk to your mother."

"Good! How soon can we start?"

"How about tomorrow morning? Can you arrange a visit?"

"I can do that."

"Great! OK. I'm going to take off now; go home and maybe do a little digging. Call me when you get the meeting set up." Skinner stood up and headed for the door.

"I can't tell you what this means to me, Skinner. You know, there for several years, I thought maybe Spender might be my father. He always looked at me with this weird look in his eyes. I thought maybe … just maybe, it might be him."

"Did you ever check it out?"

"I did. There was a time when he thought Mulder might be his son. He had DNA tests run then but when he got them back, he didn't even look at them. He told me to burn them. I did. But first I looked at them. He was not Mulder's father either. I kept his DNA profile out and took it to a lab and had them run it against mine. It was negative. That was a big relief."

"I'm sure it was."

"Well, we'll see what we can find out. Call me as soon as you talk with the hospital. I'm up early so set it up for as early as you can."

"I'll do it. And thanks again."

"You got it." Skinner smiled and walked out the door.

******

"Right this way gentlemen. You've picked a fine day for a visit. Roberta is doing very well this morning. She's quite lucid." The woman in the starched white uniform led the way through the hallways to an open courtyard where several patients were out and about enjoying the morning sun. "She's right over there in the rose garden. She does love those roses." She smiled and left them to make their way down the pathway towards the small woman standing alone admiring the blossoms.

She was a tiny thing, barely over five foot. Skinner had a hard time thinking that she could be Krycek's mother until she turned to face them and he saw the resemblance. Her hair was snow white and pulled back with a ribbon at the base of her neck. She wore a red checked dress and little white tennis shoes. Her smile was warm and curious.

"Good morning, gentlemen. Have you come to see my roses?"

"We've come to talk with you, Roberta. Do you remember me? I've been here to see you before." Krycek said.

"Oh there are so many people that come around. I can't remember them all. You're not Stewart, are you? No, no, of course not. You're much taller."

"My name is Alex and this is my friend, Skinner."

"Skinner? That's a funny name. Why did your momma call you Skinner? Do you skin things?"

"She called me Walter. My name is Walter Skinner. Could we talk with you a few minutes?"

"Why of course! Would you just look at this lovely specimen? I forget its name but isn't it a lovely shade of red?" She cupped her frail hand around a blossom.

"It certainly is. Almost the same color as your dress." Skinner said. "Did your momma make that dress for you?"

"Oh no. She died a long time ago. Poppa bought this for me. He buys me lots of pretty clothes. He doesn't come see me any more though. He's still mad at me." She frowned.

"Why would he be mad at you?" Skinner asked.

"He says I'm a liar and liars go to hell. I'm not a liar, Walter. Just because people don't believe you doesn't make you a liar. Do you think I'll go to hell?"

"No. I'm sure you won't. What did he think you lied about?"

"Krycek. He never believed me. No one did."

"Who is Krycek?"

"The alien. The one who got me … you know … in the family way. I'm going to have a baby." She smiled and rubbed her flat stomach. "I'm not supposed to tell anyone. Poppa says I'm bad and I'm going to hell. If I go to hell, will my baby go there too?"

"I'm sure your baby will be just fine. Can you tell me about Krycek? Where did you meet him?"

"Poppa says to shut my fucking mouth and not talk about goddamn aliens. That's what he says."

"He's not around now and I'd really like to know. Where did you meet Krycek? Did he have another name besides Krycek?"

"No. He said they just had one name where he came from."

"And where did he come from? Did he say?"

"I asked him but he just said it was far, far away."

"Describe him to me. Was he tall, short, fat, thin?"

"Oh, he was very tall and handsome. He had these enormous green eyes. I told him I was engaged but he said it didn't matter because he was leaving on a long journey anyway."

"What did he do? I mean what kind of work did he do? Did he say?"

"No, he never did. I think he was a soldier of some kind. He had on a funny uniform."

"Can you describe the uniform?"

"You sure ask a lot of questions! Are you a reporter or something? I talked to reporters once before and poppa got really mad at me. He's still mad at me. That's why he doesn't come visit me any more. Maybe he'll come when the baby is born. Do you think he'll come then?"

"I hope so. Can you tell me about Krycek's uniform?"

"Not much. It was just silver looking. It was all one piece and I didn't see any buttons or zippers or anything, it all just came off when he tugged at it. It kind of made a funny noise and it was off. I thought it was torn but it wasn't."

"Did it have any markings on the uniform? Any symbols or words?"

"No. Not that I remember. It was just silver all over. Shiny and it fit him real tight; he had a great body, that alien."

"What makes you think he was an alien?"

"Because he said he came from a planet in the Delta system and he pointed up to the sky."

Skinner paused, running out of questions and he turned to Krycek.

"Did he say he was coming back? Did you ever see him again?" Krycek asked.

"He said he hoped he could come back some day but it wouldn't be for a long, long time as he had work to do over in the Eastern Quadrant. I figured that must be some place over on the coast though I never heard it called that before."

"You never saw him again?"

"No, not yet. I'm thinking maybe he might come after the baby is born. Do you think he might come then?"

"I don't know." Krycek kind of choked up.

"Do you have a name picked out for your baby?" Skinner asked her.

"Oh yes. He'll be called Krycek like his father. I suppose Stewart will never marry me now; I mean, not with another man's baby. But he won't be back for a year so there is still plenty of time. I thought I might see about planting some azaleas over here by the fence. What do you think? Do you think they will get enough sun there?" She wandered away from them.

Skinner and Krycek glanced at each other and decided they had gotten all the information they could from her for the moment and said their good-byes and left.

"So what do you think? Do you think there really was an alien?" Krycek asked.

"I don't know. That uniform she described could have been anything."

"Uh huh. Anything from an exterminator to just some kid decked out for a costume party."

"Have you checked in with any of the UFO nuts in the area to see if there were any sightings around that time?"

"No, actually, I haven't. It was so long ago. Do you think any who were around at that time could still be alive?"

"There's one way to find out." Skinner drove them over to the warehouse district and stopped.

"The Gunmen?" Krycek asked.

"They know every alien nut case within a thousand mile radius. They'll be the quickest and most reliable way to check it out." Skinner pounded on the door.

After the third pounding, he heard the locks being released, one by one and the door opened a crack.

"Yeah, Skinman, what can we do for you? OH SHIT!" The door was slammed shut and all the locks were shoved back into place.

"Open up, Langly. I need to talk with you." Skinner resumed pounding.

"Oh, Skinman; you can come in, but not … not the other guy. I know who he is."

Skinner pounded again and heard voices arguing behind the door. The door opened a crack and Frohike stuck his head out. "Mr. Skinner. What can we do for you and … um … Mr. Krycek?"

"You can let us in for starters, Frohike. Krycek's all right; I can vouch for him."

Another argument from behind the door before it was swung open and they entered.

"What the hell is all that about?" Skinner asked noticing that Langly had completely disappeared.

"Langly's a bit skittish. Come on in."

"Good morning, Mr. Skinner; I heard you were here." Byers came out, straightening his tie, "What can we do for you?" He noticed Krycek but didn't flinch, just nodded in his direction.

"We're looking for someone, possibly an alien, in this area thirty eight years ago."

"Wow! Talk about your needle in a hay stack!" Frohike said and scratched his head.

"That's a long time ago; I suppose you have a name?" Byers asked as he sat down at his computer station and started working.

"Just the name 'Krycek'."

"Man, we don't want to get involved in this!" Langly called from across the room, as far away from them as he could get. "Come on, guys! You know what Mulder says. You can't trust this guy."

"Shut up, Langly," Frohike and Byers both said at the same time."

"A relative of yours?" Frohike asked Krycek.

"Possibly. I'm looking for my father."

"And you think he's an alien?"

"That's what my mother says."

"She's nuts!" Langly offered his opinion.

"As a matter of fact she is. She's in a mental institution and has been for the last thirty eight years. She claims an alien impregnated her."

"There were several alien claims that year. What month?" Byers asked as he scanned his computer screen for data.

"October." Krycek answered. "October 12th."

Byers let out a whistle. "There were 74 reports of UFO sightings that month, 52 of them between the 9th and the 15th. Twenty six in the immediate area."

"What about actual alien sightings? Any descriptions? Anything about uniforms?"

"You got a description of a uniform?" Frohike asked.

"We don't really know. She said he wore a silver uniform but couldn't describe it and said there were no markings on it that she could remember."

"Not much to go on." Frohike said.

"I know. But I've got to try." Alex said.

"You don't have any memory of your father at all?" Frohike asked.

"I never had a father. I grew up in an orphanage."

"Oh. That sucks." Frohike sympathized.

"Here's one." Byers announced reading rapidly, "One piece, silver, with no markings." "Sounds to me like a flight suit of some kind. Not actually military."

Skinner glanced at Krycek who was standing there with his mouth open.

"It's true? She didn't just make it up?" Krycek gasped.

"Now let's not get ahead of ourselves here." Skinner said. "All we know for sure is there was UFO activity in the area at the time and some people spotted what they said were aliens."

"Dressed exactly the same way my mother described." Krycek added.

"It would seem so." Byers said.

"But how do we connect the dots? How can we prove one of them was this Krycek?" Skinner wondered out loud.

"Did anybody mention any alien names?" Krycek asked Byers.

Byers typed frantically and then read for a few minutes. "No. No names were mentioned."

"That's just one report you're reading there. Could there be other reports?" Skinner asked.

"This is a compilation of all the data from all the reports. If there was any significant information it would be right here."

"Damn. Where do we go from here?" Krycek rubbed the back of his neck and paced the floor.

"Back to the hospital. Come on." Skinner headed for the door. "Eh … thanks guys. Send me the bill!"

"Why are we going back to the hospital? I don't think we can get anything more out of my mother; do you?" Krycek asked as Skinner pulled the car back up onto the freeway.

"Have you checked her personal effects?" Skinner asked.

"No. I never thought of that. I just assumed if she had any, that her father would have taken them."

"Maybe he did but we need to find out. There might be something there."

******

"But I don't understand what it is you're looking for?" Doctor Valens said. "It's been so long now; there can't be anything of value in her things."

They followed Doctor Valens through the dusty shelves filled with boxes in the basement until they came to the one marked "Roberta Marie Cook". He pulled the small box down and handed it to them.

Krycek opened it immediately and began going through it. There was a blue dress, underwear, shoes, pantyhose, and a corduroy jacket -- a purse with a wallet in it, driver's license, library card and a few photos, a Lady Bouleva wrist watch, a long gold chain and a ring with a tiny diamond in it.

"This is it? That's all there is?" Krycek asked, disappointed.

"I'm afraid so." The doctor said.

Skinner caught something in the doctor's eye he didn't like. "There must be something else; isn't there doctor?" He picked up the gold chain. "This is a beautiful chain. It's longer than one would be if it was just worn as a plain chain. Did this chain maybe have something on it? Something she wore around her neck?"

"Now look here! I didn't have to let you in here. If you're accusing me of stealing, I assure you I have a spotless reputation!" The doctor turned red as a beet.

Krycek caught the drift and stepped in. "Look, we're not accusing anybody of anything. It's vitally important that I find whatever it was that was hanging from that chain."

"I … a …I assure you, gentlemen that if anything of any value had been with her when she checked in, it would have been noted in her file."

Skinner stepped in then. "The only possible value would be to Roberta Cooks's son, Doctor Valens. She was not a wealthy woman; we know it wouldn't have had any real monetary value. It's simply a clue we need to possibly find his father."

"So many years have passed," the doctor stuttered. "I'm sure the statute of limitations would protect anyone. If anything **had** been taken, that is." The doctor was visibly shaken.

Kyrcek gulped and worked at controlling his temper. "Please, Doctor; whatever it was, I have to have it."

"I don't want any trouble. I have a spotless reputation …"

"There won't be any trouble, Doctor. I give you my word." Skinner said.

"It was just a little green thing. I didn't think it was valuable or I never would have taken it."

"I'm sure it isn't valuable. Do you still have it?" Krycek asked.

"Yes. I can get it. You see, I gave it to my wife. I was just an orderly back then and it was our first wedding anniversary. I was broke and had no gift to give her. She did have a gold chain and I thought it would look nice on it. I saw it when I was putting Miss Cook's belongings in the box. It's kind of pretty, had some little markings on it and if you held it just right, it looked like a 'K'. My wife's name is Katie. I know I shouldn't have done it and I always just thought that if she got better and left, I would give it back to her."

The doctor went on and on as they climbed the stairs back up to the main floor.

"Well, now you can give it to her son." Skinner said.

"There won't be any need to call in the authorities or report this, will there?" The doctor asked nervously.

"No. Not as long as you give it to us. Can you do that right now?" Krycek asked.

"Yes, of course. It will take about 30 or 45 minutes depending on the traffic. Do you want to wait here or would you like to come with me?"

"We'll follow you." Skinner said and they went out and climbed into their cars.

******

Fifteen minutes later the doctor was digging through his wife's jewelry box. "I know it's in here somewhere. I saw it about a month ago. She'll probably never miss it. She hasn't worn it in years." He finally dumped the box out on the dresser and pawed through it all until he pulled out a small round green disc about the size of a quarter. "Here it is." He handed it to Krycek.

"Thank you, Doctor Valens. Thank you very much." Skinner said and patted him on the shoulder.

"You're sure I won't get in any trouble over this? It was so long ago."

"No. No trouble at all. Thank you for your help." They got in their car and left.

"Can you make anything of it?" Skinner asked as he drove and watched Krycek going over the piece.

"No. Not much. Some markings, but I have no idea what they mean. I do see the 'K' he was talking about."

"Well, I guess it's back to the Gunmen then."

A short time later they stopped outside the Gunmen's door and Skinner reached for the disk. "What is this stuff – jade?"

"I don't know. I was trying to figure that out. It has give to it so it's not like any stone that I know of and its light weight. I thought it might be soapstone. I just don't know. You think the Gunmen will know?"

"I hope so. Let's find out." They got out of the car and heard the locks being un-bolted before they even knocked.

Langly held the door open. "What did you find? Is it true? You're an alien, Krycek?"

"Back off, Langly or I'll melt you." Krycek glared at him and Langly fled the room.

Skinner handed Byers the disk and he turned it over and over in his hands. "I need my loupe." He went over to his desk and pulled a jeweler's loupe out of the drawer and stuck it in his eye as he held the disk under a strong lamp.

"Have you seen anything like it before?" Skinner asked with Krycek standing right beside him full of hope.

"Not that I remember. Let me scan it and put it in the computer." He did so then sat down and began to type.

Skinner and Krycek leaned over watching the screen with Frohike trying to peek around them to see too. Langly peeked around the corner from the hallway.

The images began to flicker on the screen as Byers tapped the keys. "No exact matches but some are close. Look at this one." He stopped the images.

"Looks about the same, except that is has an 'S' instead of a 'K' and some of the smaller symbols are different." Krycek said.

"Keep going." Skinner said. "Maybe you can find something closer."

They scanned for the next twenty minutes but nothing else came close. "I guess that's as close as we're going to get." Byers said.

Skinner paced the floor then came back to Krycek. "I'm starving. Let's go get something to eat."

******

"This is amazing, Skinner. I searched for years and came up with nothing and you're at it one day and you come up with this." Krycek fingered the disk.

The waiter placed their food on the table in front of them and Krycek pocketed the disk as they both dug in.

"We need to go back to the hospital." Skinner said as they were leaving the restaurant.

"Do you think the doctor knows something else?" Krycek asked.

"No. But your mother might."

Krycek called and spoke with the doctor and was informed that Roberta had slipped back into her fugue state and he advised they call back in the morning.

"You think he's telling the truth?" Skinner asked skeptically.

"Yeah, probably. I know I've tried to see her before in the afternoons or evenings and she's usually pretty much out of it. Mornings seem to be her best time."

"All right then. I'll take you home and we'll see her in the morning."

****

They didn't see her in the morning or for the next two weekends. Her heath was deteriorating and she had few lucid moments. The third weekend after, Krycek received a call that she had improved and if he wanted to see her, he should come now.

He called Skinner and the two of them hurried to the hospital. They were shown into her room where she was propped up in her bed looking weak and pale.

"How are you feeling?" Krycek sat on the side of her bed and took her hand.

"Oh, I'm a little weak. But that's to be expected with the baby just born. He's so beautiful. Have you seen him?"

"No, not yet."

"Oh you must go see him; go right now!" She insisted.

"We'll go see him on our way out. We wanted to see you first." Skinner said as he neared the bed so she could see him.

"You look like my father. Except that he had hair. He doesn't come here any more. He's mad at me."

"Roberta, I have a question to ask you. Do you remember Krycek?" Krycek asked.

"Well of course I do." She was indignant to be asked such a question.

"Did he ever give you anything? Jewelry or anything like that?"

"No, he never gave me any jewelry. He did give me a little round thing. He told me I was supposed to give it to my son. But that doesn't make any sense. You can't give something like that to a baby."

"Can you describe it?"

"I can show you!" She dug around her neck with her claw-like fingers. "I always wear it." There was nothing there. "I don't know what I did with it. It's a real pretty little thing. Green and has little designs on it. I wear it on a chain. It's around here somewhere."

"Is this it?" Krycek held up the disk.

"Oh you found it! Thank you! I know I'm supposed to give it to my baby but I'm afraid he might choke on it. Babies always put things in their mouths." She held the small thing in her hand and fingered it lovingly.

"Did he say anything else when he gave it to you?" Skinner asked.

"I can't remember. It was so long ago. Nine months now. Nine months exactly because that's how long it takes to make a baby. Do you have any babies?"

"No. Please try and remember. Did Krycek say anything else?"

"No. Just that I was going to have his son and that he wanted me to give this to him. I think I'll wait until he grows up; then I'll give it to him. He'll probably want something of his father's."

"Yes, I'm sure he'd like that." Skinner said, at a loss now for any further questions.

"We'd better go for now and let you get your rest." Krycek said and stood up.

"Yes, I am tired. Be sure and stop by the nursery and see the baby. His name is Alex; after Doctor Alexander. He says the baby is perfect and beautiful. I knew he would be. You go look for him. Alex Krycek. I think that's a fine name; don't you?"

"Yes, yes I do." Krycek choked up.

"I probably won't have him long. When he grows up he'll probably go off with his father and I'll be all alone again."

"How could he go off with his father; is he coming back for him?" Skinner asked.

"He said he would. He said he had a whole galaxy to show him and teach him about. Said he'd take real good care of him. I kind of hope he doesn't come for him though. I'd be so lonely without my baby. Or maybe I could give Stewart a call. He might still be interested. He always said I was the prettiest girl in the county. That's what I'll do. If Krycek comes and takes my baby, I'm going to call Stewart. He gave me a diamond ring, you know. Got right down on his knee and asked me to marry him. Poppa really likes Stewart. Maybe if I marry Stewart, Poppa won't be mad at me any more and he'll come see me." She smiled sweetly at them as her mind drifted off.

"Have you ever come across anyone who looked remotely like you?" Skinner asked as they walked down the hall towards the exit.

"No. Not that I've noticed and I think I would notice something like that."

"Each time we talk with her, we seem to get a few more details." Skinner said, pushing the double door opened and walking out.

"Yeah, but she seems a lot weaker this time."

"She is weak. No telling how much time she has left." Skinner said as they drove away.

Three days later Skinner got a call from Krycek saying that the hospital called and Roberta Cook had passed away. Skinner went with him to make the funeral arrangements. Doctor Valens was present and he gave Krycek the box with Roberta's personal belongings. The funeral was short and Skinner and Krycek were the only ones in attendance other than some of the staff.

******

After the funeral they sat on Krycek's couch in silence. "Do you think she ever knew it was me?" Krycek asked.

"I doubt it. She was pretty far gone."

"I should have told her who I was."

"I doubt she would have understood. She seemed to think you were still unborn up until the last visit."

"You're probably right. Do you think he's out there somewhere? Planning to come for me?"

"I don't know. How could he possibly find you?" Skinner asked.

"Maybe with this?" Krycek pulled the disk out of his pocket. "Maybe I should just throw it away."

"You could, but then you'd never know. I haven't spoken to the Gunmen in a while. I wonder if they've found out anything more about those markings?"

"You go. I think I'm going to lie down for a while. I haven't slept much lately." Krycek walked him to the door. "Call me if you find out anything."

"I will. Get some rest."

******

"Can you get me some names and addresses of the people who have those disks that are similar?"

"I could, but they've all been questioned repeatedly. All the interviews are right here."

Skinner sat down in Byers' seat and began reading the interviews. Four hours later, bleary-eyed, he left for home and bed with an arm load of printouts to go over the next day.

******

Krycek stalked the dark streets but couldn't bring himself to go into his old familiar haunts. He knew he'd find somebody if he did. He knew he needed it but he just couldn't bring himself to go in. He walked the streets alone, head down, and a million miles away. He had so much to think about, so much to consider and all he could think about was Skinner. He never should have asked for his help. Being around him was just too painful. He had to concentrate on the business at hand and find his father. Yet all his thoughts centered around Skinner; the snug jeans he wore and the way the shirt stretched across his chest, the way he walked and talked like he knew exactly what he was supposed to be doing at all times. He bet Skinner never had a moment's doubt about anything in his life.

It started to drizzle so he turned and headed back towards his car. Skinner would not be this cowardly. If he wanted something or someone, he would go after it and take it. He wondered what it would be like to have Skinner take him in his arms and hold him close against that broad chest. He stopped in his tracks as two men stepped out of a bar half a block in front of him. One of them was bald. Krycek licked his lips. He could get rid of the other guy, ask the bald guy to step into the alley. His mouth watered. He took two steps towards them when a taxi pulled up and the two men climbed in and drove off.

"Shit!" He muttered. "I didn't want the fat bastard anyway." He kicked a soda can out of his path and kept walking and thinking. Now Skinner is big, but he's not fat. That guy was fat, at least twenty pounds overweight. Skinner would never let himself get like that. He liked to work out; keep himself in shape; and for what? He apparently had no one. He wondered what Skinner did when he needed company. He probably had a long list of people he could go to for sex. He could imagine a long line of men and women standing there hoping to be chosen for a little private time with Skinner.

Shit! He needed a drink. He walked into the next bar he came to. It was dim and dank inside; not much different from outside. He slid onto a bar stool and ordered a beer. Once his eyes adjusted he noticed a face at the end of the bar looking at him. He had been with him before. There was a moment of recognition and he saw both fear and desire in the bald-headed man. He drank from the bottle in front of him and placed money on the bar.

He looked around the room; not much going on. One couple feeling each other up in a booth; two couples were dancing; others sitting with their drinks and conversations. His eyes came back to the bald headed man who was still staring at him.

He couldn't help the tingle of anticipation accompanied by the tightening of his jeans. It was right there. All he had to do was go for it. He glanced over for another look and saw the man was gone. A quick scan of the room showed he was in the back by the EXIT door and looking at him. The man stepped out into the alley, closing the door behind him.

Alex finished his beer and headed for the back. He looked around the room to make sure no one was paying any attention and then he walked out the EXIT door.

"Over here," the quiet voice beckoned him.

He walked over behind the trash barrels. He could see the man was frightened.

"You sure you want this?" He felt he had to ask.

"YES!" The man unzipped his pants and pulled it out.

Krycek was on his knees then and the man groaned with appreciation for his efforts. He made it last as long as he could, knowing he would never have the real thing and knowing he couldn't keep this up much longer.

The man gasped and moaned and shuddered at his release, then sank to the ground with an arm up over his face knowing what was coming. Krycek stood, wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and just stared at the man. He couldn't do it. Not any more.

"Get out of here." He mumbled and turned and hurried out of the alley leaving the man in a stunned heap.

As he rounded the building and stepped onto the sidewalk he heard a man's voice. "Did you enjoy that?"

He froze and turned around quickly but saw no one. His hand rested on his gun tucked inside the back of his jeans.

"I'm right here." The voice said and this time he was able to locate where it came from. He saw a dark figure leaning against the building.

"What do you want?" Krycek asked as fear mixed with suspicion. This was not someone wanting sex. He had a sixth sense about that sort of thing.

"I thought we might have a little talk. Some place private; just the two of us."

"Why would I want to talk with you?" Krycek asked.

"I heard you were looking for me."

"You heard wrong. I don't know you." Krycek tried to focus his eyes to make out the man's features but he couldn't without stepping closer and he wasn't going to do that.

"No, you don't. But you're going to." The man stepped out of the shadows and into Krycek's clear view. He was not nearly so menacing now.

"Who are you?" Krycek began to tremble.

"You're carrying the medallion I gave to Roberta. You know who I am."

Krycek began to shake all over. Here he was; the man he had dreamed about all his life, searched for, hated, adored, fantasized about, feared and longed for. Here he was standing right in front of him and just saw him giving some guy a blow job in an alley. Not exactly the meeting he had hoped for.

"Who are you?" Krycek repeated; needing to hear the words.

"I'm your father. I've waited a long time for this meeting. Could we go somewhere and talk?"

Krycek's eyes ate him up. Height, about the same as his; weight, about the same; eyes, he couldn't tell in the semi-darkness. But he no longer seemed as menacing.

"There's a coffee shop on the corner." Krycek fell into step beside him and they walked through the misty night in silence until they seated themselves across from each other in a booth and ordered coffee.

"I came back to see Roberta many times but she was in no condition to discuss you."

"She's been hospitalized for the last thirty eight years. No one believed her about you. They all thought she was crazy."

"I read her charts. By the time I was able to return, it was already too late. They had destroyed most of her mind with their drugs and shock treatments."

"She's dead. She died a few months ago."

"Yes, I know."

"Why did you come back now? Why didn't you come earlier when you still could have helped her?"

"I was unable to return until you were five years old. By then, permanent damage had been done to her brain and you were too small to leave with me."

Krycek stared at him and in the light of the coffee shop he could see the resemblance. It was like looking at one of those photos an artist draws showing what a kidnapped victim might look like 10 or 20 years down the road.

"You didn't want a snot-nosed kid hanging around." He jerked his eyes back down to his coffee cup.

"It wasn't allowed at the time."

"Then why did you come back at all and how did you find me?" Krycek's face was red and defiant remembering where he had been found.

"The medallion. It's a tracking device. I told Roberta to give it to you so I could find you.

"So you've been following me?"

"No. I only arrived a few hours ago. I've been looking for you. It took me some time to figure out how to navigate around this city of yours. I saw you as you entered that liquor establishment. I saw you go out the back door and yes, I followed you. I saw you were … occupied, so I came to the end of the alley and waited for you."

Krycek didn't know whether to be disgusted or ashamed that his father had seen him. He was pleased, though, that he had let the guy go without the usual beating.

"So you found me. So what's next?"

"I want us to spend some time getting to know each other and see if maybe you might want to return with me."

"Return where?"

"To my home. I have finished my work now. I have three other sons and we are planning on building a home. I have told them about you; they are anxious to meet you."

"I … have brothers?"

"Yes. Andre, his mother was French; Miguel, who is Spanish and Musa, from Nigeria."

"You traveled a lot."

"It was my field of study. I did well. Now I am finished and I am ready to build a home for my family. We would like very much for you to join us."

"You want me to go there to live with you?"

"Yes. You are my son. I want to make a home for you and your brothers."

"Why now? I'm thirty-eight years old. I don't need you to make a home for me. I'm not a homeless orphan any more." He was angry and he didn't really know why.

His father was just as surprised. "You're angry that I didn't come sooner? I couldn't. I had my work to do. It is finished now. I am free of all labors. Free to enjoy the wonders of my world and I want to share them with my sons."

"What labors?"

"Where I come from, we are each assigned a certain amount of labors to accomplish; chores, if you will. Mine are now finished."

"What about your sons? Will they all be expected to perform years of labor as well?"

"No! Of course not. They are off-worlders. They will be treated as guests."

"And nothing is expected of them? Nothing at all?" Krycek was skeptical.

"No labors. Of course, they will be expected to follow our laws and not cause any problems for others. They will be free to enjoy whatever pursuit they desire. Our world is filled with many wonders."

"None of which your children have earned?"

"I don't understand your reluctance and obvious distaste for what I'm offering you. You can live a life of leisure; indulge yourself in any pleasantries that suit your fancy. I have earned this right for you. I have spent many years traveling and writing up my reports. I have completed what was asked of me. My reward is total leisure the rest of my life; all necessities, anything that I desire will be provided for me and my family."

"And nothing is expected of you the rest of your life; nothing of you or your sons."

"That's right! As off-worlders my sons will be free of all labors. Do you not see the blessing in all of this; a life free of any labors; any at all?"

"I guess some would call that a blessing. I would not."

"You would prefer to … labor?" He clearly did not understand his son.

"I have a job. I'm a counselor. I help people get through difficult situations in their lives. I like what I do. It's important."

"We have mind specialists who take care of unstable individuals."

"Mind specialists? Like the ones who worked on my mother?"

"No, no, of course not. Such things are taken care of with no damage to a person's brain. I am not an expert in such matters but I am told it is just a simple adjustment."

"A simple adjustment." Krycek stared at his father and drummed his fingers on the table.

"I do not understand your reluctance to join me. Your brothers were eager to escape to a life of leisure."

"Doing nothing, is not my idea of a life."

"You would prefer being on your knees in some filthy alley?"

Krycek reddened at the remark. "I prefer making my own decisions on how to spend my life."

"But that's just it! You can spend the remainder of your life doing whatever you want."

"And if I wanted to do nothing at all, just sit in a chair the rest of my life, that would be allowed?"

"Certainly, if that is your wish. But once you see my world, you will be as anxious as the others to enjoy all its wonders."

"Excuse me, we're getting ready to close now." The waitress interrupted them.

"Sorry," Krycek said as he stood up and threw a few bills on the table.

Out in the night air again his father spoke first. "Will you at least consider it? Why not come back with me at least for a visit; meet your brothers and see how you feel about things then. You will be able to compare your life here with the possibilities of life on my world and see what a magnificent life you could have."

Krycek thought about it as they walked towards his car. Brothers! He had three brothers! A family was all he ever dreamed of. But that dream always included his mother.

"I wish Mother was still alive." He said more to himself than his father.

"I'm sure if she was she would want you to go with me."

"Look. I still have a lot of questions but it's late and I have to get up early tomorrow. Where are you staying? Can I call you?"

"I don't have a place. I hadn't planned on staying for any length of time."

"Well, come on with me then. I guess you can stay with me for a few days until we get this sorted out."

"I'd like that." He said and got into the car beside Krycek. "Why do you have to get up early? Can you not sleep until the need has passed?"

"I have my first group counseling session at 8 am. Breakfast is served at 7 sharp and if you miss it, you go without until lunch." Krycek said as he pulled the car away from the curb and headed towards the shelter.

"How barbaric! At my home, you can eat or drink anything you want any time of the day or night and sleep whenever the mood strikes you, for however long you wish."

"Then what is there left to want?"

"I don't understand the question. If you want something, you may have it. You will be denied nothing."

"If you are given everything, what's left to work for, to hope for?"

"As I mentioned, you will not be required to labor. What is it that you could hope for?"

Krycek heaved a sigh. He was clearly not getting through to his father. He thought he'd try another tactic.

"What about love? Romance? Do you have any of that on this planet of yours?"

"Are you talking about sex? Certainly, sex is allowed. Why would we deny ourselves the pleasure?"

"And do you meet people, go out on dates, and have little rendezvous?"

"New people are met all the time but I do not understand 'go out on dates'. Is this what you call what you did tonight? You went out the back door and had sex. Was that what you're talking about, a date?"

"No. That was definitely not a date. That's what we call a pick-up."

"A pick-up? I thought a pickup was a motor vehicle that had a place in the back to haul things."

Krycek laughed. "Well, that's a pick-up too but a different kind." He pulled his car into the shelter's parking lot and they made their way to his cabin.

"My place is kind of small but it should be OK for a couple of days. I'll take the couch and you can have the bedroom." He unlocked the door and they went inside.

"You like small places? Your brothers and I are planning a large house. Each will have his own section. We have chosen a spot near a lake. There are woods in the back and mountains in the distance. It's quite beautiful."

Krycek said nothing as he showed his father the bedroom and bathroom. He pulled a pillow and blanket down from the top shelf of the closet and headed for the couch.

"If you prefer a small place, we could make your section whatever size you desire."

"Right now all I desire is sleep."

"Yes. Well, we'll talk more in the morning, then."

Krycek had a lot to think about but it all faded as sleep overtook him rapidly.

The next morning Krycek had to argue with his father, who couldn't understand why he couldn't accompany his son to his meetings. He finally agreed to stay behind after they ate breakfast in the dining room and he saw some of the clients his son was dealing with.

"I don't like the looks of them. They all need to see a mind specialist if you ask me." He whispered to his son.

"Look, I'll check back on you later. There are books to read or you can watch a little TV or whatever. I'll be back to pick you up for lunch for sure. That will be 12 o'clock straight up. Today is Friday so I'll have the next two days off. We can talk then."

"OK, OK; be gone with you. I don't see the reason for all this but if it's something that you want to do, I'll wait for you."

"It is." Krycek left then and started his day.

******

"I just don't understand your desire to be around these people, Alex."

"These people? These people are just like me. They've had a rough go of it and they need someone to talk with; someone who will listen and understand."

"Apparently these people are like they are because they have no other options. You, on the other hand, have options. Why stay here when I can offer you a virtual paradise?"

"OK. So my job isn't so hot. But I like helping people and besides … there are other considerations."

"And what would they be in comparison to paradise?"

"There is someone I care about."

"You have a mate? Why didn't you say so? She or he could come with us. That's not a problem."

"He would never leave here."

"Oh, I don't know about that. Very few men would turn down the chance to spend their lives in paradise."

"There's just one small problem with that idea. He has no idea how I feel about him."

"You haven't told him? Why not?"

"He'd never be interested in me."

"So you've never gone on a date with him? Been in an alley with him?"

Krycek blushed again. "No. I used to work with him years ago."

"And I take it nothing happened; or did something happen and he didn't like it?"

"Well, things happened that he didn't like but they were not sexual things."

"I am still confused. Are you saying you care for this man and you want to work with him again? Or are you saying you care for this man and you want to have sex with him?"

"Oh Jeeze." Krycek leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers together over the top of his head. How to explain this!

"He's the one I want. The one I've always wanted. I like working with him; I'd like to spend more time alone with him and yes, I'd love to have sex with him."

"Then why haven't you? Is it not allowed? Or allowed only during a certain time period?"

"He was married for many years to a woman but I happen to know he spends some of his free time in gay bars." The blank look on his father's face made him explain further. "Places like where I made that pick up last night. Places where men go to meet other men."

"Oh. OK."

"I just don't think he'd agree to … a date with me?"

"I do not understand why you have not simply asked him. Is that not allowed?"

"It is. It's just difficult to explain. I wouldn't want to offend him or make him angry."

"Asking someone about sex could offend and anger them?"

"It could."

"Could you be put in one of those prisons for such an act?"

"No. It's not that serious an offense. Some men respond favorably to talk about sex; others do not."

"I see your dilemma. You do not know if such talk with this person would be received favorably or not. Caution is always best when uncertain. Does he carry a weapon? Would he be likely to use it?"

Krycek chuckled. "Yes, he carries a weapon, he is in law enforcement. But no, he wouldn't use it for something like that."

"Then why not just ask him?"

"It's not that easy."

"If you do not fear him using his weapon against you then I see no reason not to ask him."

"Maybe I will one of these days. Right now, I'd like to get cleaned up and we'll go out to dinner. How do you feel about pasta?"

"Pasta? Does that have anything to do with paste?"

"No. It's Italian noodles with lots of spices in a tomato based sauce. It's delicious."

"Noodles in red sauce! Yes, I believe I've had that before. I think it was in Rome. It was quite delicious."

"Great. I'll be out in a minute and then you can have a quick wash up. It looks like we're about the same size. I'm sure you can fit into some of my clothes."

"I'd like that. Could I try on those black pants you had on last night? I noticed they fit you perfectly. Where did you have them made? Maybe I could get a pair or two made before I leave."

"You talking about my jeans? You can pick them up at any store. I'll take you shopping tomorrow."

"Jeans? Why are men's pants given a girls name?" He asked Krycek through the shower curtain.

"I have no idea. The man who invented them was named Levi Strauss. I don't know why they call them jeans." He said as he pulled the curtain back and grabbed a towel.

"Strauss? Was he the same man who wrote all those waltzes?"

"No. Not the same guy at all."

"Perhaps a relative."

"Could be. Here. The shower's yours. I'll dig out a pair of jeans for you to wear and some underwear."

Krycek was laying out the clothes on the bed when someone knocked at the door. He pulled it open to find Skinner standing there.

"Hey. I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop in and see if you've come up with any new ideas that might help in locating your father?" Skinner came inside as Krycek stepped back for him to enter.

At that moment, Krycek's father chose to walk out into the room, naked and dripping wet with a towel around his head as he rubbed furiously at his hair. "I need another towel, Alex. Where have you hidden them?"

"I'm so sorry." Walter backed up. "I should have called first." He opened the door and left. Krycek could hear the tires squealing and spewing gravel as he pulled out.

Krycek hadn't said a word; there hadn't been time. It all happened so fast.

"Towels?" His father called to him.

"Oh, under the sink. Help yourself." Krycek was deep in thought when his father walked out into the room.

"Well, how do I look?"

"Huh, oh. They fit fine."

"You seem distracted. Is anything wrong? You're not going to cancel out on our date for pasta are you?"

"No, of course not. And our going out for dinner is just that. It's not a date. A date is between two people who are seeing each other."

"I beg your pardon?"

"My friend was just here. The one I told you about."

"Did you ask him? If you'd rather go have sex with him than dinner with me I completely understand."

"No. He left."

"That was a short visit."

"It was. He saw you and turned around and left."

"He saw me? When? I didn't see anyone."

"You had your head in the towel when you came in here a few minutes ago."

"Oh. He was here? Why didn't you introduce us?"

"He didn't stay long enough. He saw you and turned around and left."

"That's odd."

"Yes, it was." Krycek agreed and they headed out for the Italian restaurant.

Later after their table had been cleared and they lingered over glasses of wine their conversation continued.

"If your friend saw a naked man in your room and **didn't** know it was your father, he may have been jealous."

"But that's ridiculous. Why would he be jealous? He has no interest in me."

"Are you sure about that? I have spent a good deal of time on Earth and it seems everyone is jealous of someone for one reason or another. Is it possible he could have feelings for you and you just didn't know about it?"

"Possible, I guess; but doubtful."

"Perhaps he's as reluctant to ask you about sex as you are to ask him?"

"I have known him for many years. He has never shown any interest in me in the slightest."

"Yet he helped you with your mother to try and find me. He came by your rooms to check on you. It seems to me that he does care about you."

"Maybe a little, but just as a friend."

"And friends do not ask each other for sex?"

"I don't know. I suppose some might."

"Just not you and your friend."

"I'm ready to leave if you are." Krycek said and stood up.

"Yes. It is late and you have to get up early."

"No; I don't have to get up early. Tomorrow is Sunday. I'm off." He paid the bill and they left.

They had just parked and were headed to the cabin when they saw a figure coming back down the path. It was Skinner.

"Hey," Krycek said. "Why did you run off like that?"

"I'm sorry about that." Skinner mumbled something about remembering a phone call he needed to make. "I left you a book. I put it in your mail box. It's the latest Grisham. I think you'll like it."

"I'm sure I will."

Skinner started to pass by them when Krycek's father reached out a hand to him.

"Hello. I'm Alex's father."

Skinner stared open mouthed looking from Krycek to his father and back again.

"He's your father?" He reached out and shook the hand extended in front of him.

"Yes. He actually found me a few days ago."

"Please do come inside and talk with us. I'd love to get to know Alex's friends."

The three of them went into Alex's cabin and seated themselves in the living room.

"Alex tells me you're in law enforcement. That sounds very exciting."

"It is maybe one percent of the time. The rest of the time it's pretty boring. Mostly reading reports and doing paperwork." Skinner sat on one end of the couch while Alex sat on the other – his father taking the chair opposite them. "What kind of work do you do?"

"I'm retired now. I have fulfilled my labor obligations and am now free to live a life of leisure."

"That sounds very interesting."

"Father was a traveler. He traveled for years and wrote reports of his travels."

"So you've been to a lot of exotic places?"

"Yes, I have. There are so many beautiful places here; it amazes me that so many of you choose to live in the cities when you could be living out in the lovely countryside."

Alex's phone rang then and he stepped into the kitchen to answer it.

"Tell me, Mr. Skinner. Do you have a mate?"

"Please, call me Walter. No, I was married for many years but she was killed in a traffic accident."

"Oh how awful for you. Was this recent?"

"No. It was years ago."

"And you've not taken another mate?"

"No. I haven't."

"Have you ever considered Alex as a possible mate?"

"Alex?" Skinner swallowed hard.

"Yes, Alex. I know he's a strange sort; but he seems quite infatuated with you. We've discussed you a great deal."

"He talked to you about me?" Skinner couldn't believe his ears.

"Oh yes. He says he admires you greatly and he would like to have sex with you but he's reluctant to ask. He says he doesn't want to offend you but I don't see how that could possibly offend anyone. Did I offend you by mentioning it?"

"No, not at all; it just caught me off guard."

"Off guard? I do not understand this expression. Are you a guard of some kind?"

"No. It simply means I was surprised by your comment." Skinner explained.

"Oh, I see. Off guard. Hmm. I'll have to remember that one."

Krycek came back to join them then and the conversation continued a short time longer before Skinner excused himself and said his goodbyes.

"I liked him." Krycek's father said when he was gone.

"He's a good man."

"I mentioned to him that you wanted to have sex with him and he didn't seem offended at all."

"YOU WHAT?" Krycek froze in his tracks.

"Well, you seemed reluctant to ask for what you wanted so I asked for you. Why are you upset?"

"Father, you didn't!"

"I did. I asked him if he was offended and he said he wasn't at all. I told you, you should have just asked him."

"I couldn't do that. He might already have someone."

"No he doesn't. I asked if he had taken another mate and he said he hadn't."

"Oh my God! What else did you ask him?"

"That was about it. Then you finished with your phone call and came back in. I'm really quite sleepy now. I think I'll go to bed."

"Sure. OK. See you in the morning." Krycek was horrified. He wondered what Skinner was thinking. He couldn't believe his father would do anything so stupid. He'd have to have a talk with him in the morning and make sure nothing like that happened again.

******

The next morning they were having coffee and Alex was trying to explain why sex was not something that you discussed with strangers.

"But I don't understand why you're so upset, Alex. It's not like he was a stranger off the street. He is someone you've known for years. He said he wasn't offended and I believed him. Did he seem offended to you when he left last night?"

"No." Alex had to admit that Skinner hadn't seemed offended. "He didn't. He was probably too embarrassed to say anything."

"What rubbish! I don't understand the Human aversion to discussing sex. It's a normal bodily function that most everyone seems to enjoy. Everyone does it. It's not like it's some great dark secret."

"Father, please; just don't do it again. It's simply not done."

"All right, all right. Whatever pleases you. I can assure you, this sort of thing would not happen at home. There, you see someone you'd like to have sex with, you simply ask them. It's nothing unusual."

"You don't even have to know them first?"

"Of course not. What better way to get to know someone than across a rumpled bed?" He gave his son a lecherous grin.

Krycek's phone rang and he gave an exasperated sigh.

"Just don't answer it." his father said.

"I can't do that. I'm on call. Everything's been calm lately; I can't think why they'd need me." He picked up the phone and looked at the caller I.D.; his cheeks colored. "It's Skinner."

"Well, answer it!"

Krycek fumbled with the phone and almost dropped it. "Krycek" He said into the phone.

"Krycek, it's Skinner. Listen, I know you're busy with your father and all but could you meet me for coffee? I'd like to talk with you about something."

"Ahh … sure. When and where?" Krycek couldn't help the tingle in his belly that seemed to slide down into his lower regions.

Skinner told him where and asked if he could meet him there now. Krycek agreed and said he would be there in thirty minutes.

"He wants to have coffee. He has something he wants to talk with me about." He said to her father.

"Splendid! He probably wants to have sex with you!"

"Father!"

"Well, why wouldn't he? He has no mate and you're a handsome young man; except for that plastic arm of yours. Once we get you home, we'll get that thing regenerated."

"You can do that?"

"Sure we can. It's done all the time. Go on now and get ready. This is a date now, isn't it?"

"Yes, Father. This is a date; sort of." Alex jumped in the shower, brushed his teeth and ran the razor over his face quickly, then headed out.

"I'll be back shortly."

"Oh I hope not! Do have sex with him if you get the chance. I can order in some pizza for lunch. I do know how to do that."

"Here." Krycek tossed him a twenty dollar bill. "Just in case I don't make it back for lunch."

xxxxxx

They met in the parking lot, walked in together and took a table. The waitress brought them coffee and they sat across from one another.

"You said you had something you wanted to talk with me about?" Krycek thought himself very brave for bringing it up.

"Yes. I was thinking about your father. I was just wondering … are you planning on leaving with him?"

"I don't know." Krycek fiddled with his napkin. "He has asked me. He says I have three brothers."

"You do? I suppose you'd like to meet them."

"Yeah, I would. I've always wanted brothers and sisters."

"You have sisters too?"

"No. I don't know. He didn't mention any but I'm finding out new things about him every day."

"I'm glad you finally found him."

"I want to thank you for all your help. I never would have found him on my own."

"You said he found you?" Skinner asked.

"He did. But it was because I had that medallion. It was a tracking device. That's why he wanted my mother to give it to me."

"That makes sense."

They were silent for a few minutes and then Skinner asked. "Are you seriously thinking about leaving with him?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I would like to meet my brothers and see what it's like there."

"Did he say where 'there' is?"

"No. And I haven't thought to ask. It's supposed to be this paradise. Apparently, you have to work just so many years and then you live free for the rest of your life and anything you want is yours for the asking. He's finished his work and is free now to relax and enjoy life and all it has to offer. If I go back with him, it will be the same for me. As an off-worlder, as he put it, I will not be required to work and will be as free to spend my life in leisure as he is."

"Wow. That's quite a carrot to have dangled in front of someone."

"It's certainly tempting."

The waitress came by and filled their cups.

"I wish you wouldn't go." Skinner said.

Krycek looked up at him.

"I can see where you'd be tempted but would you be satisfied with just lying around and doing nothing for the rest of your life?"

"I don't know. I really don't have any reason to stay here. I enjoy my work but let's face it, if I left today, they would have someone probably a lot more qualified to fill my spot in no time."

Skinner sipped his coffee. "So you'd be a man of leisure. What would you do with yourself?"

Krycek smiled and swirled the coffee around in his cup. "He says they can re-generate my arm. I'd be whole again."

"That's amazing."

They sat in silence for a while. Skinner thinking he had no right to ask Alex to stay when he could be made whole again and live a life of ease in safety. Krycek thinking that if he left, he'd never see Walter again.

"He says you could go with us if you wanted to." He lifted his eyes hopefully to meet Skinner's.

"Me? What would I do in paradise?" Skinner scoffed and they stared at one another for a while.

"We could think of something." A slow grin crossed Krycek's face and he added, "Father told me what the two of you talked about while I was on the phone."

"I like your father. He says what's on his mind." Skinner grinned.

"Oh he does that all right; whether it's appropriate or not. He's convinced that's why you asked me for coffee this morning."

Skinner smiled and wondered where this was going. He didn't know and it frightened him a bit but the thought of Alex leaving for good frightened him even more.

"I wanted to find out if you were planning on leaving."

"And if I was?"

"I'd try and talk you out of it. I didn't know he could fix your arm. That would be pretty difficult to resist."

"It is a biggie." Alex admitted. "Would it make a difference? To you, I mean?"

"If I were in your shoes? Yeah, I guess it would."

"That's not what I meant." Krycek gulped and went for it. "If my arm was … fixed. Would it make a difference, how you … see me?"

Dead silence as they stared at one another.

"Can I get you gentlemen anything else?" The waitress was asking.

"No, thank you." Skinner said. "We're finished here." He stood and pulled out his wallet and tossed a ten on her tray.

They walked out of the restaurant over to their cars which were parked next to each other.

They stood quietly for a few moments and then Skinner said. "I don't want you to leave. But I can't ask you to stay if leaving means you can feel whole again."

"Why don't you want me to leave?" Krycek leaned back against his car as Skinner stood next to his.

"I feel like I'm just getting to know you. I've known you for, what, eight or ten years now and you were a stranger. Now …"

"Now what?"

"I like who you are now. I'd like to get to know you better. If you leave, that will never happen."

"You could come with me."

"You could stay."

They were silent again. Krycek opened his door and said over his shoulder. "I'll tell him I decided to stay." He got in his car and backed out.

Skinner got in his car and could hardly contain his excitement. Alex was staying! He wasn't going to leave! It both scared and exhilarated him. He started his car and drove home.

Krycek walked into his cabin with a grin on his face.

"You did it! You had sex with him!" His father greeted him.

"No; I didn't."

"Then why are you grinning like that?"

"He asked me to stay."

His father lost his grin. "You're going to stay?"

"I am. I can't leave right now. Not when he finally sees me, who I really am."

"This Walter – he's much more than just a potential sex partner then?"

"He is, Father. He's everything to me."

"Aahh. An affair of the heart. That would explain a lot."

"What?"

"It would explain why he ran out of here when he saw me here naked; he was jealous. He probably thought we had just had sex. He was hurt and angry. And yet he came back again the same night."

"It could have been for any reason."

"Sure it was. And I think we know what that reason was. Are you going to see him tonight?"

"No. I don't know. He didn't ask."

"Does he have to do everything? Why didn't you ask?"

"It's not that easy."

"You have a mouth; you can speak, can't you? Call him. Ask him out for dinner. You can have sex afterwards."

"Father! Why are you so interested in my sex life?"

"I'm interested because you don't seem to have much of a sex life. I'm sure the other night in the alley was enjoyable but where did that leave you? You've got to ask for what you want, Alex. It's the only way."

"I don't know about that."

"I do. Here. Call him." He shoved the phone in Alex's hands.

Alex grinned and thumbed in the number.

"Skinner," Skinner answered his phone in the elevator of Viva Towers.

"Skinner, it's me; Alex. I was wondering if you were free for dinner tonight?" He grinned at his father.

"As a matter of fact, I am." Skinner held his breath. "What did you have in mind?"

"There's a place over on Thirty-First Street and Wellington over on the east side. They serve a great hot roast beef sandwich."

"I've been there. It's great. Do you want to meet there or shall I pick you and your father up?"

"Oh Father won't be going. He has something he wants to watch on TV. I can meet you there, say about seven?" His father scowled at him.

"OK; sounds good. See you at seven, then." Skinner's mood soared with excitement.

"OK." Krycek hung up the phone.

"You didn't have to lie. I hate lying." His father chastised him.

"Well, just watch something on TV tonight while I'm gone and it won't be a lie."

"Oh; you're sneaky! OK. I'm sure I can find something to watch."

"I'll take you to Blockbusters. We can rent some videos for you."

"I've heard of these things but I've never worked one before." He fiddled with the DVD player.

"It's easy. I'll show you. Come on. I promised I'd take you out shopping for jeans."

"You could get some new jeans too; for your date tonight."

Alex grinned as they left for the mall.

******

Krycek arrived first and took a booth in the very back; sitting close to the edge so he could see the door. He was a little embarrassed at being fifteen minutes early but it was all worth-while when five minutes later, Skinner walked in. Krycek watched as other heads turned to admire the view. And Skinner was certainly something to see.

He wore dark brown slacks; a long sleeved green Henley and a light weight navy blue wind breaker. He glanced around the room until his eyes landed on Krycek and he smiled. It was just a little smile and probably didn't mean anything, Krycek told himself. The waiter joined them as soon as Skinner sat down and they ordered drinks.

"You're early." Skinner said.

"So are you." Alex smiled.

"I was hungry."

"Yeah; me too."

They smiled, stared at one another and Skinner began the conversation by asking questions about Krycek's father.

"We rented some videos for him to watch. He'll be fine."

"How long is he planning on staying?"

"I don't know; I didn't ask. It's kind of nice having him around."

"I'm sure it is. Is he still trying to take you back with him?"

"He talks about it from time to time. He said maybe I could just go for a visit; meet my brothers."

"Oh that would be nice. But you'd come back?"

"Uh huh. I can't see spending the rest of my life just doing nothing with myself."

"I think that would be great for maybe a couple of weeks; but after that it would grow old pretty fast."

Their drinks were placed in front of them and they each took a sip. The waiter took their orders for dinner and left.

"So, you come here often?" Krycek asked; mentally kicking himself for what sounded like a line.

"Once in a while. I'd come more often but I'm afraid I'd become addicted."

"It really is nice."

"Uh huh." Their eyes met and held.

"Hell, I'm in it this deep and you haven't strangled me yet. I might as well go all the way. Would you like to dance?" Krycek asked hopefully, with a slight tilt to the head.

"If I can lead." Skinner grinned.

"You got it." Krycek smiled and stood up.

They walked to the small dance floor and joined the half a dozen other couples slow dancing. He expected it to be awkward but Krycek seemed to melt into his arms and the music carried them along. When the tune ended, Skinner refused to release him and they stood there momentarily until the music started again and Skinner pulled him back into his arms.

Krycek rested his forehead against Skinner's shoulder and was rewarded by being pulled in closer. Skinner leaned his head against Krycek's and they drifted to the music.

"This is nice." Skinner said.

"Um hm."

"A perfect fit; you in my arms." he whispered.

"Is this why you wanted me to stay?"

"Um hm." Skinner answered. "Is this why you decided to stay?"

"Um hm," Krycek answered and moved his head closer against Skinner's neck.

"I'm glad you decided to stay."

"Me too."

"If you had left, we would have missed this."

"Nothing in this or any other world is worth missing this."

Skinner pulled his head back then and Krycek lifted his up. Their eyes held in the dim light of the bar. Skinner nuzzled his cheek against Krycek's. The music stopped then and they walked silently to their booth. Their food was placed in front of them and they ate, smiling across the table at one another.

"Did your father tell you to call me?" Skinner asked as he wiped his mouth with his napkin.

"Uh huh." Krycek grinned.

"I thought he might have. Tell him I said thanks."

"I will. He'll like that."

"So when he leaves, will he be able to come back for another visit? He could always bring your brothers here to meet you."

"I'm not sure how it works yet. He hasn't gone into too much detail. He was shocked that I didn't jump at the chance to go with him. It seems the others did."

"Are they from around here too?"

"No. He said one was from Spain, one from France and one from Nigeria."

"He gets around."

"He does like to travel."

"You favor him; more than your mother." Skinner said as he sipped his wine.

"I wish she had been alive to see him."

"That would have been nice. She was pretty far gone though. She might not have recognized him."

"Yeah, she probably wouldn't have. I just always hoped that she'd get better."

"Some things are beyond hope." Skinner said.

"They are." Krycek agreed as he fiddled with his glass. "But that doesn't keep us from hoping."

"Would you like to dance again?" Walter asked; hoping to bring the mood back again.

"I'd like that." Krycek said and they made their way back to the dance floor.

It was more crowded now as the evening wore on. They danced through several tunes before Skinner whispered into his ear. "My place is only fifteen minutes from here." He finished the sentence by pressing his lips against Krycek's temple.

"Yes! Yes, yes." Krycek whispered back.

Skinner paid the bill and they left in his car. They made the trip in eleven minutes, mostly silent, just a casual comment or two on the traffic.

Skinner unlocked the door and they went inside. "Can I fix you a drink?"

"No thanks. The wine we had with dinner was plenty. I'm not much of a drinker."

Skinner turned some music on and pulled Krycek into his arms again, holding him close. "Mmmm; this is much better." He murmured.

"Would you like to have sex with me?" Krycek asked.

Skinner pulled back, amused. "Did your father tell you to ask me that?"

"Uh huh. He says that's the way it's done where he comes from. People just walk up to someone the think they'd like to have sex with and ask."

"I'm liking your father more and more." Skinner grinned and pulled Krycek close against him and wrapped both arms around him.

"I didn't hear your answer." Krycek prodded.

"I think I'll use your answer; yes, yes, yes." Each yes was punctuated with a kiss up the side of Krycek's neck. He brought their mouths together then in the tenderest of kisses; cupping Krycek's head with both hands.

They both gasped at the jolt of passion shot through them. The next kiss was not so tender; in fact, it blazed with the pent up emotions of a lifetime. It was impossible to tell if it was one kiss or a hundred; it just went on and on and on. There was no stopping it now; hands were gripping each other's shoulders, bodies were straining against one another. Toes were stepped on but by the time they made it to the couch they were both naked.

They fell in a heap, glued together as one unit, mouths devouring each other, hands roaming over hot muscled bodies. Legs twined around each other, feet pressed against cushions so they could press harder against one another. Their movements shook the couch and rattled the end table but they didn't hear a thing; they were lost in each other.

They cried out their release seconds apart and then the room was filled with silence as they floated in the sweetness of afterglow.

"I'm so glad you're not leaving." Skinner managed to say after regaining his senses.

"I'm so glad you wanted me to stay." Krycek said with his head resting against Skinner's chest.

"I want to see more of you. Can I see you next weekend too?"

"Sure, when – Friday, Saturday, Sunday?"

"How about all three?"

"OK. Sounds good to me." Krycek said with a chuckle.

"What?" Skinner asked.

"I was just thinking about my father. The first thing he asked me this morning after we had coffee together was if we had had sex."

"Did he?" Skinner chuckled.

"He did. He's going to ask about tonight."

"What are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know. Maybe I won't tell him anything; just make him guess."

"Oh, you're cruel!"

"I have a feeling he'll know the minute he sees me."

"You're probably right. For having been here such a short time, he certainly seems to know you well."

"I noticed that too. Maybe he used to be like me?"

"Could be." Skinner sat up and brought Krycek up with him. "We need a shower. There's one down here and one upstairs. You can take your pick or you can join me. Your choice."

"I'd rather join you. I'm not quite ready to let go of you yet."

Skinner smiled and took him by the hand and kissed him all the way up the stairs. A quick soaping up and rinsing off and Alex was on his knees worshiping the man of his dreams. Skinner moaned his release and dragged Krycek into the bedroom and gave back as good as he got.

Afterwards they lay side by side in stunned silence, Krycek's head against Skinner's shoulder and Skinner's cheek resting against a head of soft silky hair.

The next sound they heard was Skinner's alarm clock going off. They both jolted awake and dashed around looking for clothes. Krycek's were downstairs and he fled down the steps buck naked in a mad dash to find them. Skinner dressed for work faster than he ever had in his life and came down the stairs buttoning his shirt with his tie stuck in his pants pocket and his jacket slung over one arm. Krycek was looking for his socks and finally found them both. They made it to the front door together and paused. Skinner pulled Krycek into his arms for a kiss.

"Good morning." He said with a grin.

"Good morning yourself." Krycek returned the greeting by wrapping both arms around him and kissing him back with a full body press. They walked to the elevator and Skinner glanced down the hall to see if anyone was around. It was empty. He slipped his jacket on while they waited for the elevator and Krycek was busy re-buttoning his shirt that wasn't hanging right. Once inside the elevator and on their way down, Skinner put his tie on and Krycek tucked his shirt in before the elevator door opened.

"Come on. I'll drive you to your car."

"I can take a cab; you'll be late." Krycek offered.

"No need for that. I can be a few minutes late. I'm always earlier than anyone else anyway. No one will even notice."

They drove silently through the early morning traffic and stopped at the bar.

"What are you going to tell your father?" Skinner asked with a grin.

"I doubt I'll have to tell him anything." Krycek return the grin.

"OK. I'll see you Friday then." Skinner said.

"I'll be waiting." Krycek said and then got out of the car and into his own and headed home.

******

Everyone did notice though; from the maintenance man in the garage who stopped and looked at his watch and said, "Morning. You oversleep or something?" the guard at the gate, "Hey, you must be slipping. I got here before you this morning!" the girl in the coffee shop, "Hi; I thought maybe you weren't coming in this morning. You're always in here way before this." and the smart aleck guy at the newspaper stand, "Hey, you're late this morning! You get lucky last night or something?" Skinner tossed his dollar down and grabbed his paper, ignoring the comment. By the time he made it to the elevator he was shaking. He needed to get control of himself and he needed to do it now!

The elevator door slid open and Mulder was standing there. "There you are! I was looking for you. Something wrong? You look mad and you haven't even made it to your office yet."

"What is it, Mulder. I've got a lot on my mind this morning." Skinner headed to his office with Mulder at his side.

"Is that why you were 45 minutes late? Is it something I can help with?"

"Good morning, Sir." Skinner's secretary greeted him as he came into the outer office. "Is everything all right?"

"Good morning, Kim. Yes, everything is just fine. I just got a late start this morning is all." He said and went on into his office. Mulder followed him in like a puppy looking for someone to play with.

"Whatever it is, I'm available. I just finished up with AD Rivers. And Kersh told me to make myself available to whichever AD needed me."

"Mulder, I am not working a case, I have nothing for you to work on, I just happened to oversleep. Why don't you try for once and get along with Agent Doggett and maybe he can find something for you to do in the X-Files."

"Doggett and I get along just fine. He's working up reports right now and doesn't need me. I think we have a new X-File right here in this office when you show up for work 45 minutes late." Mulder teased.

"Oh for Pete's sake! I must really be set in my ways if showing up late for work puts the entire building on alert." Skinner sighed as he hung his jacket up and sat down at his desk.

"If you overslept, that must mean you got to bed late – really late. So if you weren't on a case, you must have been out having a good time."

"Mulder! Go!" Skinner waved him away with a tired wave of the hand.

"OK. Don't tell me. I already know anyway." Mulder said as he walked to the door.

"You know what?" Skinner asked, knowing somehow that he was going to regret asking.

"You got laid last night." Mulder gave him the thumbs up sign and walked out with a grin.

Skinner tossed his glasses down on his desk, went into his office bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. "What is it? Written across my forehead or something?"

There was nothing on his forehead but there was a hickey just below his left ear. "Shit!" He said as he rubbed it. Then memories of last night flooded through him and he couldn't be mad. It was just too darn good to be mad about anything. He came out of the bathroom with a smile on his face and thinking about next weekend.

******

He started calling on Wednesday. There was no answer. Thursday was the same. They probably were out sight-seeing, he reasoned. Friday he started worrying. He called at lunch time; no answer. He left a message and again when he called about four o'clock. He left work early Friday and headed over to the shelter. Alex's car was gone; there was no answer when he pounded on the door. He went to the shelter office.

Chaos reined. People were arguing, files were scattered about, the phone was ringing and people were standing around angrily waiting to put their two cents worth into the fray.

"Excuse me?" He said it politely the first time. Then "EXCUSE ME?" Loud enough to get their attention. Everyone stopped and turned around and stared at him.

"I'm looking for Alex Krycek. Can you tell me where he is, please?" He directed his question to the woman behind the desk but she was in such a state with her arms flailing around and tears running black mascara down her cheeks – he wasn't sure it would do any good.

"Oh they're gone." She said with a wave of her hand as she dabbed at her eyes with a balled up tissue.

"Gone? What do you mean gone? When do you expect him back?"

"I have no idea. Oh, wait a minute. I was supposed to give you a message. Um. What was it? Oh yeah, he said to tell you he's going … somewhere with his dad."

"When? When did he tell you this? Did he say when they'd be back?"

"I don't know." She ran a hand through her scraggly hair. "First of the week. Monday, I think is when they left. And you can tell him for me when you see him, that I said he was a shit for taking off when I need his help the most." And to the others standing in front of her demanding her attention she said, "Look! I'm just a receptionist here, I don't know a fucking thing about computers and I told them so when they brought this thing in here and told me to type in all these files. You want information – there's the files. Find it yourself!" She grabbed her purse out of the desk drawer and walked out the front door.

Skinner caught up to her in the parking lot. "Excuse me. I know you've got a lot happening right now but this is vitally important. Did Alex say anything else?"

"Oh jeeze, I'm sorry. Don't tell him what I said. He's a real sweetheart and he's helped me a lot. I can't really remember. The boss man has been on my case for weeks now to get everything on the computer. Alex was trying to help and he did help a lot and then he ran in here … it was either Monday or Tuesday … Monday, I think; and tells me he has to take off and if anyone comes looking for him to tell them he's going … somewhere with his father. I guess he figured you'd know where."

"And he didn't say when he'd be back?"

"No, he didn't. Jesus, here they come." She jumped in her car as the men in the office came out after her.

Skinner drove home in a daze; questions pounding in his brain. Why didn't he call? Why did he change his mind and leave with his father? Was he going just for a visit or was it going to be permanent? Why didn't he call? Why didn't he call? Was this his plan from the beginning? Would he do something like that? The horns honking were driving him nuts!

Oh. He needed to drive; the light was green. The old Krycek; he would do something like that but not Alex. Alex wouldn't make him fall in love with him and just walk out on him; would he? Is Krycek off having a drink with someone right now laughing and talking about him? Was that really is father? Maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was his 'boyfriend'!

Skinner climbed out of his car and slammed the door as hard as he could. It echoed in the quiet garage. He stalked over to the elevator and hit the button. He waited and waited and finally the door opened and a man and a woman all wrapped around each other walked out. He went inside and watched as the happy couple walked to their car. He hated them. He had never seen them before but he hated them. What right did they have to be happy!

Skinner went inside and fixed himself a drink. He carried it upstairs with him while he changed his clothes. He came back down and drank his dinner. He paced the floor and checked and rechecked his phone. He called his office to see if any messages were on his phone there. There weren't.

By Monday morning, Skinner had worked up such a hatred he could have killed Krycek with his bare hands. He arrived at his office 6am sharp. No one was going to smart off at him today. Not if they valued their lives anyway. By ten o'clock he had such a headache he could barely breathe without it throbbing. He called a nearby take-out place and had them deliver a ham sandwich. Maybe food would make him feel better. It didn't. He swallowed some Tylenol and worked through the afternoon, snarling at anyone who happened to cross his path. By time to go home, no one was dumb enough to approach him.

By Tuesday he was a man of stone. He walked and talked and breathed but he was stone. He refused to let himself think of anything that didn't pertain to work. And work he did. He called for stacks and stacks of files and read and analyzed them all. Every open case that his agents were working on, he memorized; called agents in for updates, wrote reports that weren't even due yet and stayed at his desk long after the building had turned dark and all were gone but the security people.

By Wednesday he was numb. He seldom answered when spoken to, ignored everyone and went about his routine. Mid morning there were raised voices in his outer office. He marched out ready to rip heads off and ran right into his secretary who was standing in his doorway trying to block Krycek from getting in.

"Sir, I'm sorry. I told him you weren't seeing anyone …"

"Walter!" Alex gasped, and seemed to falter.

Skinner turned and stalked back to his desk. "Whatever you have to say, I'm not interested."

"Walter, I … didn't you get my message?" Krycek followed him into his office.

"Oh I got your message all right; loud and clear. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

"It's Miguel. He's been critically injured in an explosion. We had to leave immediately. I tried to call but they wouldn't put the call through. Father thought it would only be a few days but Miguel was hurt much worse than we thought. He was in desperate need of blood so the three of us gave all we could." He was gasping by the time he finished and gripping the edge of Skinner's desk.

Skinner looked up at him for the first time and noticed how extremely pale he was; saw the desperation on his face.

"I got back as fast as I could. They didn't want to release me, but Father smuggled me out of the hospital." He leaned against the desk and rubbed his forehead.

Skinner saw the green eyes flutter and for a moment thought Krycek was going to pass out.

"I came straight here. I probably should have called. I …" His knees buckled then and he flopped down into the chair in front of Skinner's desk.

Skinner resisted the urge to go to him. This could still be all some kind of ploy. He wasn't going to fall for it. Not this time. Not again.

"What did Marianne tell you?" Krycek asked wearily lifting his head.

"She said to tell you she thinks you're a shit for walking out on her. I won't tell you what I think of you for walking out on me." Skinner snarled at him.

"You think I walked out on you? I can understand now why you're angry." He stared at Skinner with just enough strength left to speak. "I had to go, Walter. He's my brother. I left a message; that's all I could do."

Skinner just stared at him.

"We couldn't let him die. We all gave more than the doctors advised. I went back and convinced them to take more. Then I passed out." His head was rolling on his shoulders now as if it were too much effort for his neck to hold it up.

"I'd never walk out on you, Walter, never!" He said it with such total sincerity that Skinner recognized the truth and he came around the side of his desk just in time to catch Krycek as he passed out.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Skinner murmured as he picked him up in his arms and took him over to his couch. "Alex! Alex!" He slapped his cheeks and was alarmed when he didn't arouse. He hurried into his bathroom and brought out a wet towel and mopped Krycek's face.

"Alex! Alex!" Skinner tried again to rouse him and this time the eyes fluttered open.

"Oh … sorry." He tried to sit up.

"No, just lay still for a minute." Walter pressed him back down. "Is all this true? So help me, Alex; if this is some sort of game you're playing … " He stopped when he saw the look on Krycek's face.

"I love you, Walter. All I could think about was getting back here to you. I had to help my brother." He tried again to sit up and this time Skinner helped him.

"Why didn't you tell Marianne that? If I had known you went to help your brother …"

"I told her to tell you there was a family emergency and I had to leave with my father and that I'd get back here as soon as possible."

"She was pretty rattled but the only message I got was that you left with your father and she didn't have any idea if or when you were coming back."

"That makes it sound like … You thought that I … Oh my God! Walter! You thought I'd just … left?" He could tell by the look on Walter's face that he was right.

Walter shivered as though a bucket of frozen water had just been dumped on him. Realization dawned and he was filled with regret; ashamed of himself for having such thoughts and not believing in Alex.

"You gave blood to your brother – more than you were supposed to?"

"I did. We persuaded them to take it twice by agreeing to be hospitalized while we recovered. He still wasn't doing too well so I went back in and talked them into taking more. A few minutes later, I passed out. But I guess that little bit made the difference because in the next few hours Miguel started to pick up."

"He's going to survive?"

"Barring any unforeseen complications. The doctor said his chances were improving steadily. As soon as Father was well enough to travel, he checked out of the hospital and I posed as Andre and left with him. Andre stayed behind in my place. I swear, Walter. I got back as soon as I could."

Walter grabbed him in a bear hug and held him close; cursing himself for the old fool that he was. He whispered over and over again, "I thought I'd lost you; I thought I'd lost you."

It was the first time that he admitted to himself that he was in love with Alex. The realization shook him to the core. He was in love! He was fifty years old and he was in love!

"I'm never letting you out of my sight again!" He whispered into Alex's shoulder.

"I'm going back. I have to go back, Walter."

Walter pulled back and stared into the wide green eyes.

"I want you to come with me. You can take a leave, can't you? You never go on vacation or take time off or anything. You've got time coming."

"A leave?"

"Yes. Walter, I talked with the doctors. They can fix my arm; grow it back for me. Please, please say you'll come with me. I want to spend some time with my brothers and father and I want them to get to know you."

"For how long? How long will it take?" Walter's mind had slipped into overdrive. Thinking of all the excuses he could come up with to ask for a leave of absence.

"He couldn't say for sure – somewhere between sixty and ninety days. Could you get that much time? Three months?"

"I'll come with you but you can't have the procedure done right now. You have to get your strength back first."

"I'll be fine in a day or two."

"No, you won't! It'll take longer than that. No doctor will do any kind of procedure on you without testing you first and when they see how low your blood count is, they'll make you wait until you get built back up."

"Do you think you can get a leave and go back with me?" Alex asked with his head leaning against the back of the couch. "I need to go back but I don't want to go back alone."

"I'll take leave. There won't be any problem and I'll go with you. Where is your father? At your place?"

"No. He went back. He said he'd be in touch in a few days."

"OK then. You're coming home with me." He helped Alex to his feet, put an arm around his back and helped him out the door. They stopped at his secretary's desk and he told her he was taking a leave of absence then headed out the door. He was relieved that no one stopped them as he made his way to the elevator. He said a silent prayer hoping that Mulder wouldn't show up.

"I really don't need to be in bed, Walter." Alex insisted as Walter pulled the covers up over him.

"Yes, you do! You probably should be in the hospital. That was a dangerous and foolish thing to do, Alex – giving that much blood."

"I know, but I had to do something. I couldn't let Miguel die. I'd only just met him."

"I understand **why** you did it, but it was still a foolish thing to do. So now you have two choices. You can stay in bed until you get your strength back or you can check into a hospital and get a transfusion. Which do you prefer?"

"I don't want to go to a hospital. I just got out of one."

"OK. You're staying right where you are, then until your father returns. Does he know how to get in touch with you?"

"Yes. He has my cell phone and I've put your number in the number one spot. I showed him how to use it and once he gets back, he'll call. I also told him where you lived and how to get here."

"Did he say when he was coming back?" Walter asked.

"He said he wanted to stay with Miguel until he was sure he was out of danger and then he would come back and check on me."

"What I don't understand is why a civilization this advanced didn't have some better way to save your brother without taking so much blood from you and the others?" Skinner asked.

"They tried to use blood from the locals but Miguel's blood has properties in it that theirs didn't. We, his brothers, were the only ones who matched perfectly. Father matched pretty much but not totally."

"What instructions did they give you? What are you supposed to do or not do – eat or not eat?" Skinner asked.

"Oh, I almost forgot. They gave me some pills I'm supposed to take that are supposed to help build me back up faster. The doctor just said to get plenty of rest, eat healthy and take the pills."

"Have you had one yet today?"

"No. I slept most of the way here and all I had to eat was some packaged stuff that father had on his ship."

"I'll fix you something. Then you can take your pills and rest." Skinner said. "What are you hungry for?"

"Pizza."

"Pizza? That's not a healthy meal! You sound like Mulder. I think he eats it three times a day."

"No. He doesn't eat three times a day. He does love his pizza though. It was the only thing we had in common besides the work."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I think the two of you have a lot in common. Neither of you can follow an order and you both think you can get the job done playing by your own rules."

"And we usually do too; don't we?"

"Yeah, I guess you do but it wouldn't hurt either of you to go by the book once in a while."

"If we went by the book, we'd never get anything done."

"You'd be a lot safer."

"I could sell shoes and be a lot safer but that's not me."

"This is true." Walter had to admit. "But how about you humor me this one time. I'll go downstairs and fix us some lunch. You rest until I get it ready. I'll bring it up to you."

"The first part, I'll go along with but I don't eat in bed. You get it ready and I'll come down and eat whatever you fix."

"I can live with that." Walter said as he got up and headed for the door.

"Pepperoni." Alex said with a weak grin.

"Huh?"

"Pepperoni pizza. It's my favorite."

"No! I'm not serving you pizza. You need some good healthy food. We made a deal. You said you'd eat whatever I fixed."

"I will. But pizza is only thirty minutes away."

"You eat a good healthy lunch and we'll see about maybe some pizza for dinner."

Alex grinned and snuggled down into the warmth of the bed.

An hour later, Walter came back into the room and stood watching Alex as he slept peacefully. In seconds Alex came awake with a jolt. Walter watched as first fear and then relief flooded his features.

"Lunch is ready." Walter said. "Are you sure you don't want me to bring it up here?"

"No. I'll come down. I'm fine – just a little weak." Alex said as he threw back the covers and sat on the edge of the bed. He slipped his shoes on and stood up – wavering just a bit. Walter took his arm to steady him and they headed down the stairs.

Their meal of steak, scrambled eggs and fruit salad disappeared in minutes.

"That was delicious – thank you." Alex said as he wiped his mouth on a napkin, picked up his water and swallowed a pill.

"You're welcome. You did good, you ate it all."

"Walter, you're not going to believe this place. It's incredible! I can hardly wait for you to see it."

"I made a few phone calls while you were sleeping. I've taken a leave of absence – open ended."

"Oh that's great! As soon as father gets back then we can leave."

"What can you tell me about this place? How long does the trip take and how do we get there?" Walter was full of questions and more than a little bit apprehensive.

"We were in such a rush, I don't really know any of the details."

"You're exhausted. You should lie down and get some more rest." Skinner said and stood to help Alex up.

"I'm weak, yes. I do need to lie down but I want to talk. I want to tell you everything that I saw."

"Just tell me how you got there – to this Delta System." Skinner said as he walked Alex back upstairs to the bedroom.

"He has a ship. I can't tell you how we got up on the ship because I don't really know. We were talking about it in my kitchen and the next thing I knew, we were on it and he was snapping out orders."

"What kind of orders? What did it look like?" Walter asked as he pulled the blankets up over Alex.

"Sit down, close your seat. It's kind of a form-fitting seat – very plush – leather, I think – and it sort of closes up around you. I could see through it and he got in one as well after showing me how to close mine and then touching a control panel a few times. Next thing I knew we were there. According to my watch, thirty three hours had passed."

"You were asleep?"

"I must have been, though I have no memory of falling asleep or waking up. One minute I was watching him close up his seat and the next instant he was opening my seat and we headed out in a dead run for the hospital."

"That's amazing." Walter shook his head and decided further questions would have to wait until Alex rested. "Sleep now. We'll talk more later when you wake up."

Walter paced the floor and wrestled with his thoughts. Was any of this possible? Was he walking into some kind of trap? Was what he was feeling for Alex real and could he separate this 'Alex' from the 'Krycek' he had known and hated for so many years?

Was there really a Delta System and could he actually travel there in a matter of hours?

He didn't know which question to try to solve first so he decided to concentrate on his feelings for Alex. He had hated Krycek for so many years but he couldn't deny that there had always been an attraction there – something he felt was returned but never acted on by either of them. How could this Alex be the same person who had tortured him – caused him so much pain and aggravation? Could it all have been on Consortium orders?

He had to admit to himself that being with Alex – his Alex – had been the most exciting and satisfying time in his life; even though it had been very brief. It just felt right to him somehow. He wanted this relationship – wanted it to be real – wanted it to last. But it was all just so bizarre.

He had done some checking around and there had been absolutely no signs of any Consortium activity in months, so Alex must have been right about it being finished. And there had been no sightings of Spender around either. Was he really in a grave somewhere?

Walter stopped pacing long enough to fix himself a drink and sipped it as he stood staring out his balcony window. Was it possible that this could all be a trick of some kind? But what would be the purpose of such an elaborate scheme? There was nothing going on at the Bureau that was particularly hot that his absence could affect one way or another. He had no big meetings coming up, no trials that needed his testimony. Nothing would be affected in any way by his absence.

That was a sobering thought. His absence at work would be covered easily enough by any other AD. His friends were few and far between and none of them would be affected by his absence either. He faced the fact that his presence would be hardly missed. He grimaced at the thought and took another swallow of Scotch.

Why shouldn't he go? He had nothing stopping him here. And he could always come back if he wanted to – if he got bored with Paradise. He chuckled at the thought. Bored with Paradise? Bored with Alex? Not likely. Since he had seen him that first time at the shelter, he had thought of little else. This Alex was a changed man. This Alex was the same sweet, shy Alex he had first encountered many years ago – before he had gotten mixed up with Spender. They would need to talk about that. He needed to know what turned that eager young agent into a Consortium operative. He heaved a great sigh and sat down on the couch. He leaned his head back and within minutes he was fast asleep.

xxxxxx

He awoke hours later to warm kisses pressing against the side of his neck and Alex leaning over him.

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty. Any chance I can talk you into joining me in that big bed upstairs?"

Walter grabbed onto him and held him close. "Alex." It came out in a whisper. "Tell me this is real – tell me this isn't a trick of some kind to … to … get to me for some reason."

"Is that what you've been thinking?" Alex stared at him for a minute and realization dawned on him. "Oh, I get it. You mean because of our past."

Walter shook his head 'yes'.

"Walter, I don't have all the answers for you to all of your questions but I can tell you this. What I feel for you is the only 'real' thing in my life right now. I've wanted you from the first moment I laid eyes on you. Back then it was just pure lust. I thought you were the sexiest thing I'd ever seen but you were way out of reach. You were married and you were also my superior – both no-nos. By the time you lost your wife, I was so deep in that mess with the group that I couldn't get out and had no intention of dragging you into it." He stopped for a breath.

"Over the years, as I got to know you better, I came to admire and respect you more than any other man I've ever known. But I was … stuck … in a situation that I couldn't get out of. How I got mixed up with them is a long story that I'll save until some night when we've got nothing better to do than talk about the past." He grinned.

"The Consortium and Spender are truly gone?"

"They are! And with that, came my freedom. I had a chance to start my life over. I went to the shelter for help and in turn, they helped me. They helped me to take a good look at myself and make the changes that I needed to make. I didn't think it was possible but I did it. I made a new life for myself and then you walked back into my life. I didn't think I'd ever lay eyes on you again."

"I was shocked to find you at that shelter." Walter said.

"It was my haven. I felt at home there for the first time in my life. I was among people who were as messed up as I was – people who understood and cared enough to reach out a helping hand."

"I would have helped you if you'd have come to me."

"I know you would have but I didn't want to drag you into my problems and besides …"

"Besides what?"

"I thought you were involved with someone else."

"You thought what? Who?"

"Mulder."

"You've got to be kidding!"

"You were always running to his rescue – making excuses for him – standing up for him."

"I was his AD! He was working on my behalf. I hated the way he worked but I had to admit that he always managed to get things done. His solve rate was nothing short of phenomenal."

"Yeah, he did have that going for him – that and those soulful eyes and incredible body."

Walter chuckled. "He did have all that, that's for sure, but what little interest he had in any relationship was always focused on Scully."

"You think the two of them will ever get it together?"

"Get together? Sure. But stay together? That's something else again."

"I thought for sure that you and he were … you know … getting together."

"No, Alex. Though I'll have to admit that the thought did cross my mind."

"Mine too but there never was a chance in hell for anything like that."

"Enough about Mulder. Tell me about your Father and his home. What's it like?"

"I don't really know. I never saw his home. We were in the hospital while we were there and then in his ship and back here again."

Walter thought for a moment, then asked, "So you're half-alien? I'm not – so would I even be able to take such a trip or survive out there wherever this Delta System is?"

"Yes! That's one of the questions I asked Father when he was still here, back in my cabin. He assures me that there would be no problems whatsoever. You aren't backing out on me, are you? You're still going back with me?"

"I'll go with you." Walter said as he pulled him back into his arms again. There was no way in the world he was going to let Alex out of his sight again.

They got up and headed for the stairs when they were stopped by a knock on the door.

"Are you expecting anyone?" Alex asked.

"No. I'm officially on leave."

Another, louder knock came and Walter reluctantly let go of Alex's hand and walked to the door. A third and more urgent knock and Walter opened the door to find Alex's father standing there.

"Father!" Alex rushed to embrace him. "How is Miguel?"

"Yes, he is doing find now. He is being re-generated as we speak – nothing more to worry about as far as your brothers are concerned." He greeted his son with a smile.

"Oh, thank goodness! Father, Walter has agreed to return with me. He has taken a leave of absence."

"Marvelous! Once you've spent time on Delta, I'm sure you'll be eager to stay."

"You did say that I could return any time I wanted to?" Walter asked.

"Certainly. I can see why you'd like to come back here for a visit. Earth is a most enjoyable and interesting place to visit but as the old saying goes, 'There's no place like home'."

"Walter has a lot of questions, as I do. Will you be able to answer them for us?"

"Certainly. I'll answer whatever questions you have but let's do it under more favorable circumstances. How are you feeling, Alex? You look wonderful."

"Thank you, Father. I feel great. Just a little weak."

"Are you taking your pills?"

"I took one with dinner a few hours earlier."

"Well, then it's time to take another. Walter – some water?"

"Oh yeah, sure. The pills are in the kitchen. I'll get them." He came back carrying the pills and a bottle of water.

Alex uncapped the bottle and swallowed down another pill.

"There now – by morning you should be your old self again. Are you ready to leave?"

"Right now? Shouldn't he take a few more days to rest? I haven't packed. What should I take?" Walter skidded into a slight panic.

"You don't need to bring anything, Walter. Everything will be provided for you. If you're quite ready then?" He looked at his son and then back to Walter. They looked at each other then and nodded 'yes'.

In an instant they were taking seats that enveloped them completely and watched as fingers splayed over the control panel. An instant later their seats were being opened up.

"What happened?" Walter asked. "Didn't it work?"

"We're here." Alex grinned.

xxxxxx

They stepped down from the small craft into a field of green grass as two young men vaulted towards them. Musa and Andre hugged their father and Alex and stood patiently waiting to be introduced.

Alex introduced them all and they shook hands eagerly and made their way over to the incredibly beautiful white marble building that sat nestled among some trees and shrubbery.

"Welcome to our new home. Can I get you anything? Food or refreshments of any kind?"

"This is your home, Father?" Alex asked as he glanced around the huge room and marveled at the architecture which seemed to be all white marble and glass.

"This is the first part of it. We are far from finished. You might call it a work in progress. The boys here keep changing their minds and adding to it and it seems to be growing constantly. We each have our separate wing for our private quarters and activities. Yours will be over there." He pointed off in the direction of the trees that Alex could see out through a glass wall. "For now, you can stay in my guest quarters over this way." He headed down a long corridor off the main room. Alex and Walter followed.

The guest quarters were large and posh. They were shown how the closet worked. Their sizes were programmed in and a complete wardrobe became available to them immediately.

"Any type clothing you wish can be programmed in and it will immediately appear. If you choose say … eighteenth century American Indian, for example, you will have an entire wardrobe, suitable for any situation, right here."

"The bathroom works similarly." He said as he walked them into the large room with the large sunken tub and glass-walled shower enclosure. "If you're in a hurry, you can just leave it on automatic and your body will be cleaned once you strip and step inside. It only takes ten seconds. If you prefer soap and water, whatever soap you prefer can be programmed and it will show up here in the soap dish. The water temperature will automatically adjust itself to ten degrees above your body temperature or if you wish it hotter or cooler, you simply tap in whatever temperature you wish."

"This is amazing!" Alex said as they wandered back into the bedroom.

"There is another room exactly like this one right next door." He showed them the way down the hall and into the next room. "This way you can each have your privacy or if you choose to share a room that's strictly up to the two of you." He walked on through the room and through the double French doors out onto the balcony. "There is a lovely view out this way."

They followed him out and, once they managed to gaze past the elegant patio setting, they could see the twinkling lights of a small town in the distance. The sky had turned a deep electric blue with just a tinge of purple to it – evening on Delta.

"It will be dinner time soon. Please join us for the evening meal. Alex, do you feel well enough or should we take you to hospital for a checkup?"

"No .. no. I'm fine – just a bit overwhelmed by all of this. You told me Delta was beautiful but I had no idea."

"Of course you didn't. And I didn't do a very good job of explaining it. Really, one would have to be a poet to describe all of this."

"It's incredible," Walter agreed.

"Dinner in one hour then. I'll tell your brothers to expect you."

"Yes, I'd like that." Alex said and Walter nodded in agreement.

"Well what do you think?" Alex asked as Walter paced around looking at everything.

"It's like a room out of a palace or something." Walter said.

"If this is a guest room, I wonder what his room is like." Alex commented.

Walter stood gazing out the window into the purple night sky at the three small moons all in a row. Alex came up beside him, put his arms around him and leaned his head on Walter's shoulder.

"I have a feeling my life is about to get a lot more interesting." Walter sighed as he embraced Alex and placed a kiss into the sable-soft brown hair.

THE END

84


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